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Activities of the Claimants

China

China's Xi preaches peace

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Speaking at a high-level forum in Boao, Xi said that China was ready to sign more friendship treaties with its neighbors and proposed holding dialogue among Asian civilizations. "What China most needs a harmonious and stable domestic environment and peaceful and tranquil international environment," Xi said, to an audience including leaders of countries like Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Nepal. "Any turmoil or war does not accord with the basic interests of the Chinese people," he added. "China has in the past 100 years or more suffered turmoil and war, and the Chinese people will never impose upon other countries or people the tragic history our own people have experienced," Xi said. "Looking broadly at history, any country trying to use force to achieve its own development goals will in the end only fail," he added. "I'm willing to use this opportunity to repeat that on the path ahead, China will unswervingly develop peacefully."

China pledges dual-track approach to address South China Sea dispute

China will follow the dual-track approach agreed to by China and most ASEAN countries, peacefully and properly handle disputes left from history and jointly maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at a panel discussion about the building of ASEAN community, Boao forum on March 27th. China for the first time identified the approach in August, according to which specific disputes are to be solved through negotiations and consultations by countries directly concerned, and peace and stability in the region be jointly upheld by China and ASEAN countries working together.

China 'seriously concerned' by Philippine's building in South China Sea

China's Foreign Ministry expressed serious concern on March 26th after the Philippines said it would resume repair and reconstruction works on disputed islands in the South China Sea, saying Manila was infringing on Chinese sovereignty. "On the one hand the Philippines makes unreasonable criticism about China's normal building activities on its own isles, and on the other announces it will resume repairs on an airport, runway and other illegal constructions on China's Spratly Islands, which it illegally occupies," Hua said. "This is not only a series infringement of China's sovereignty, but it also exposes the Philippines' hypocrisy," she told a daily news briefing, calling on the Philippines to withdraw from the islands. 

The Philippines

Philippines says to resume works in disputed South China Sea

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The Philippines said on March 26th it would resume repair and reconstruction works in the disputed South China Sea after halting activities last year over concerns about the effect on an arbitration complaint filed against China. "We are taking the position that we can proceed with the repair and maintenance," Foreign Minister Albert del Rosario told diplomats, military officers and foreign correspondents. He said the works, including repairs to an airstrip, did not violate an informal code of conduct in the South China Sea because they would not alter the status quo in the disputed area. The Philippine Foreign Minister also accused China of seeking to take control of nearly the entire South China Sea. "China is accelerating its expansionist agenda and changing the status quo to actualise its nine-dash line claim and to control nearly the entire South China Sea before... the handing down of a decision of the arbitral tribunal on the Philippine submission."

Philippines dismissed China’s criticism about Philippine repair work in South China Sea

Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesperson Charles Jose on March 28th said that the Philippines’ activities are “in no way comparable to China’s massive reclamation activities” in the waters and accusations that the Philippines was being “hypocritical” would not detract from Beijing’s own actions which are raising regional tensions. Philippine President’s deputy spokesperson Abigail Valte on March 28th also said that any repairs of Philippine facilities would not violate the DOC. 

Indonesia

Indonesia can act as broker in South China Sea disputes

In an interview with the South China Morning Post on March 25th, Indonesian President Joko Widodo stated: "We need peace, we need stability in our region in Asia-Pacific. So that means Indonesia is ready to play a consultative role as an honest broker." Indonesia wanted to ensure that the Code of Conduct (COC) - which the 10-member regional grouping of Asean is hammering out with China - would be "acceptable to all parties", he said.

Cambodia

South China Sea dispute not between ASEAN, China: Cambodian PM

Speaking at a graduation ceremony of students at the National Institute of Education on March 25th, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said that the South China Sea dispute is the issue between claimant states and China, not between ASEAN and China. The prime minister said all parties concerned in the dispute should continue negotiations peacefully based on international laws and agreed documents.

The U.S.

Kissinger Urges Return to Deng’s Way on South China Sea Spat

In an interview with Bloomberg on March 28th, former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger told that China and the U.S. should “remove the urgency of the debate,” and “Deng Xiaoping dealt with some of his problems by saying not every problem needs to be solved in the existing generation.” “Let’s perhaps wait for another generation but let’s not make it worse.”

Regional Snapshots

Abe, Jokowi agree to stronger security, economic ties

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and visiting Indonesian President Joko Widodo pledged March 30th to strengthen relations between their two nations, committing to maritime stability and promoting investment in infrastructure development for the Southeast Asian nation. On economic front, Abe told Jokowi that Japan will provide about ¥140 billion in loans for railway projects, including a rapid transit system under construction in Jakarta. On security front, Abe said he and Jokowi agreed to launch a forum to achieve an “open and stable” maritime environment through high-level talks between the two countries. 

Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2015 concludes

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The annual conference of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) closed on March 29th in south China's Hainan province. The conference, which this year adopted the theme "Asia's New Future: Towards a Community of Common Destiny", was attended by 2,786 political, business and academic leaders as well as journalists from 49 countries and regions. The four-day forum, which started March 26th, focused on several key areas, such as the Belt and Road initiatives, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), and ASEAN Economic Community. A non-governmental and non-profit international organization founded in 2001, the BFA is committed to promoting regional economic integration and bringing Asian countries closer to their development goals.