Weekly Bulletin 24/3-30/3

Activities of the Claimants

China

Xi says China 'not looking for trouble' in South China Sea

Chinese President Xi Jinping said on March 28^th his country would not act aggressively regarding territorial claims in the South China Sea but was determined to safeguard its interests there. "On the issue of the South China Sea, we will not provoke trouble ourselves but we will not fear troubles provoked by others either," he said in a speech during a visit to Berlin. "When it comes to our sovereignty and territorial integrity we will strongly safeguard these interests," said Xi.

China rebukes Philippines on Co May Shoal stance

A Defense Ministry spokesman said on March 27^th that China will firmly safeguard its territorial sovereignty as the Philippines ramps up its rhetoric about its rights to the Co May Shoal (internationally known as Second Thomas Shoal, the Philippines calls it Ayungin Shoal, China calls it Ren’ai Reef). Geng Yansheng made the remarks at a regular press conference when asked to comment on the Philippines' plan to repair an old navy ship it grounded near the Co May Shoal in the South China Sea in 1999.

China slams PH 'hype' over South China Sea

China denounced the "hype" the Philippines created in the South China Sea a day before Manila submits on March 30^th, its historic pleading against Beijing. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said the "Philippines' action aimed to hype up the South China Sea issue, so as to serve its attempt to illegally seize the Ren'ai Reef," China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported. "The Philippines' action cannot change the fact that China owns sovereignty over the Nansha (Spratly) Islands, including the Ren'ai Reef (Co May Shoal), and cannot shake China's resolve to safeguard its national sovereignty, said the spokesman," according to Xinhua.

Philippines must take consequences of provocation

China on March 31^st warned the Philippines about escalating provocation, as the Southeast Asian country stepped up confrontation with China on the South China Sea. The Philippine side must take consequences of its provocation, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei. By pushing forward international arbitration, the Philippines are attempting to disguise their illegal occupation of Chinese territory. "It is political provocation based on abuse of international law," Hong said at a daily news briefing, reiterating that China will neither accept nor participate in international arbitration. He noted that China made a statement in accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in 2006, pointing out that such disputes are not subject to arbitration.

Full Statement

Vietnam

Foundation for East Sea Studies debut

A foundation aimed at supporting studies on the East Sea was launched in Hanoi on March 27^th. Foundation for East Sea (FESS) is co-founded by the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam (DAV), former Deputy Foreign Minister Le Cong Phung and former Vietnamese Ambassador to Singapore and Canada Nguyen Duc Hung. The foundation is expected to attract the participation of the whole of society and create a connection between donors and intellectuals in the protection of national sea and island sovereignty, said DAV Director Dang Dinh Quy, chairman of the foundation.

FESS website

The Philippines

Phl submits papers vs China

Citing national interest and seeking a just and durable solution grounded on international law, the Philippines submitted on March 30^th a 4,000-page memorial or written argument to the United Nations arbitral tribunal hearing its case against China for the latter’s excessive claims in the South China Sea. The Philippines submitted electronically its memorial to the registrar of the tribunal based in The Hague at 9:37 a.m. (Manila time). Copies were also sent to each arbitrator – the Chinese ambassador in the Netherlands and the Chinese chargé d’affaires in Manila. Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said the memorial, consisting of 10 volumes, presents the Philippines’ case on the jurisdiction of the arbitral tribunal and the merits of the country’s claims. The Philippines did not disclose whether harassment of Philippine fishing vessels by the Chinese coast guard on Co May and Scarborough Shoals was included in the memorial. Del Rosario said the Philippines is obliged to preserve confidentiality.

Full statement

Philippines insists on rule of law in China dispute

An official of the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on March 26^th said Philippines is advocating rule of law in its arbitration case against China with regard to the dispute over the South China Sea. DFA spokesman Charles Jose told ANC Primetime that the Philippines, in pursuing a principled foreign policy based on international law, is hoping for a peaceful settlement of the dispute without resorting to force. “In this effort to resolve the dispute, we have been following three tracks,” Jose said. Jose said the first, which is the diplomatic track, involves working with China in trying to find a solution to the problem. The second track, according to Jose, is the political track, wherein the Philippines is working closely with its ASEAN partners for the implementation of the 2002 DOC in the South China Sea, which was signed between the regional bloc and China. The third is the legal track, Jose said, and this involves the case that the country has filed against China before the arbitration tribunal of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) comes in. On March 29^th, Philippine President Aquino’s deputy spokesperson Abigail Valte said the government was pursuing the case despite official Chinese warnings of a fallout in bilateral relations.

Philippine ship evades Chinese blockade

Philippine soldiers aboard a civilian vessel engaged on March 29^th in a dramatic nearly two-hour standoff with Chinese Coast Guard ships near the Co May Shoal, an incident witnessed by journalists on board the Philippine vessel and a Philippine military plane circling the area. Around an hour away from Co May Shoal, a Chinese Coast Guard ship twice crossed the bow of the smaller Philippine vessel in an attempt to stop it from proceeding. It radioed the Filipinos, telling them to stop entering “Chinese territory.” But the Filipino captain maneuvered to shallow waters where the Chinese vessel, with a much larger displacement, could not follow without the risk of running aground. The Philippine vessel finally slipped past the Chinese blockade to reach Co May Shoal. The military said the civilian ship, a research vessel of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) with soldiers on board, completed its mission to deliver fresh supplies to the BRP Sierra Madre and rotate the troops.

The U.S.

US backs Phl submission of papers on sea row

The United States has declared its support for the submission of a memorial or written pleading by the Philippines to a United Nations tribunal in seeking to resolve its dispute with China over the South China Sea. In a statement, State Department deputy spokesperson Marie Harf said the US reaffirms its support for the exercise of peaceful means to resolve maritime disputes without fear of any form of retaliation, including intimidation or coercion. “All countries should respect the right of any states party, including the Republic of the Philippines, to avail themselves of the dispute resolution mechanisms provided for under the Law of the Sea Convention,” she said. “We hope that this case serves to provide greater legal certainty and compliance with the international law of the sea,” Harf said.

Japan

Abe raises China's bluster over disputed territory at G-7 summit

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on March 27^th that he raised the issue of China's air and maritime assertiveness in territorial disputes with neighboring countries during a meeting of Group of Seven leaders earlier this week. On an FM radio program broadcast in Japan, Abe said he raised at the G-7 meeting in The Hague China's attempt to change the status quo through coercion -- and drew an analogy to Russia's annexation of Crimea, warning something similar could happen in Asia. "What's happening in Crimea isn't merely an issue for this region (Europe), but it could happen in Asia. In that sense, it is an issue for the whole of the international community," he said, apparently with China's territorial disputes with Japan and other neighboring countries in mind. In response to Abe’s comment, Hong Lei, spokesperson for China's foreign ministry on March 28^th slammed an analogy drawn by Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe between their territorial disputes and the situation in Crimea. "He hypocritically pledged to improve Sino-Japanese relations while speaking ill of China in the international community his words again exposed his intention to confuse the public and defame China, however, this cannot deceive the international community”

Regional Snapshots

Xi tells Obama to adopt 'fair' attitude on China's maritime disputes

Chinese President Xi Jinping told U.S. President Barack Obama on March 25^th that the United States should adopt a "fair" attitude on the East and South China Seas, where China is involved in a series of increasingly bitter territorial disputes. "On the issues of the East and South China Sea, the U.S. side ought to adopt an objective and fair attitude, distinguish right from wrong, and do more to push for an appropriate resolution and improve the situation," state news agency Xinhua cited Xi as saying. It provided no other details. The two leaders met on the sidelines of a nuclear security summit in the Netherlands, where their talks also took in the situation in Ukraine, North Korea and military-to-military cooperation.

Vietnam, EU hold third political consultation

The third deputy minister-level political consultation between Vietnam and the European Union (EU) was held in Hanoi on March 25^th within the framework of an agreement between the two sides. The event was co-chaired by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and Chief Operating Officer of the European External Action Service (EEAS) David O’Sullivan. The two sides discussed measures to strengthen bilateral cooperation in areas ranging from politics-diplomacy, security-defence and justice to economics, trade, investment and agriculture. Regarding the East Sea issue, he reiterated the EU’s stance of backing maritime security and safety, and settling disputes by peaceful means and dialogue in respect for international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), so as to reach a Code of Conduct (COC) between China and ASEAN at an early date.

Naval exercise improves regional disaster response

Navies from 17 countries began a six-day joint exercise on March 29^th in the East Sea to improve coordinated efforts in coping with natural calamities. The drill, which involved 4,885 navy personnel from 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its seven dialogue partners. The exercise aims to better the organisation of international assistance in future natural disasters, said Djoko Suyanto, coordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs, at the opening ceremony on Batam island, near Singapore.

US guided-missile submarine to dock in Subic

The USS Michigan (SSGN-727), an Ohio-class guided-missile submarine, arrived in Subic Bay on March 25^th for a routine port call. The visit highlights the strong historic, community, and military connections between the United States and the Republic of the Philippines. The port call allows the ship to replenish supplies as well as give the crew an opportunity for rest and relaxation. The USS Michigan is part of the US Pacific Fleet and is homeported in Puget Sound, Washington. She is commanded by Capt. Erik A. Burian and crewed by approximately 150 sailors.