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Activities of the Claimants

China

China responds to U.S.-India joint statement

Regarding the joint statement between U.S.-India in which expresses concern about South China Sea dispute, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying on January 26th said that: “The overall situation of the South China Sea is stable. The freedom of navigation and overflight there has never seen any problem and will never see any in the future. We (China) hope that countries out of the region can respect efforts made by countries in the region to uphold peace and stability of the South China Sea and keep the serenity of the South China Sea".

Singapore

ASEAN to promote peaceful solution for the South China Sea

Singaporean Foreign Minister K Shanmugam said on January 27th that ASEAN and China are committed to work towards the early conclusion on the Code of Conduct, but the objective of the Code of Conduct is not to resolve competing claims in the South China Sea. Instead, ASEAN should take a neutral position, which is forward-looking and encourages the peaceful resolution of issues.

Malaysia

Malaysia mulls air defences for submarine base near South China Sea

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Malaysia is looking to equip its naval base at Teluk Sepanggar, which is home to Malaysia's only dedicated submarine facility, with an air defence system as a pre-emptive measure against potential threats, said Defence Minister Hishammuddin Tun Hussein in a media statement on January 26th. However, the minister stopped short of elaborating on the specifics of any system being considered, saying that any decision will depend on the armed forces' requirements and government funding.

The U.S.

U.S. would welcome Japan air patrols in South China Sea

The United States would welcome a Japanese extension of air patrols into the South China Sea as a counterweight to a growing fleet of Chinese vessels pushing China's territorial claims in the region, said a senior U.S. Navy officer. "I think allies, partners and friends in the region will look to the Japanese more and more as a stabilizing function," Admiral Robert Thomas, commander of the Seventh Fleet and the top U.S. navy officer in Asia, said in an interview. "In the South China Sea, frankly, the Chinese fishing fleet, the Chinese coastguard and the (navy) overmatch their neighbors," Thomas said. Later, China responded to Thomas's comments by warning Japan not to "create tension".

Barack Obama: China’s growth shouldn’t be at the expense of other folks

In an interview with CNN on February 1st, U.S. President stressed that: “It is very much in America's interest to see China - continue with its peaceful rise. What's dangerous for us is a destabilized and impoverished and disintegrating China. It's much better for us if China is doing well. But what we've said since the start of my term in office is China's growth shouldn't be at the expense of other folks. It shouldn't bully small countries like Vietnam or Philippines around maritime issues, but try to resolve those peacefully in accordance with international law. It shouldn't manipulate its currencies to get itself trading advantages that others don't have.”  Regarding that Chinese government critised U.S.-India joint statement, Obama said that: “China doesn't need to be threatened because we have good relations with India”. “There's an opportunity to create a win-win formula in which all countries are abiding by a common set of rules and standards”

Australia

Australia to donate heavy landing craft to Philippines

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Australia is donating two recently decommissioned Balikpapan-class heavy landing craft (LCH) vessels to the Philippines, Defence Minister Kevin Andrews announced on 29th January. Tarakan and Brunei will be handed over to the Philippine Navy in May after being refurbished with new safety and navigation equipment, Andrews said in a statement. The statement said the LCHs would help the Philippines' humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) capabilities, which were tested in 2013's Typhoon Haiyan.

Regional Snapshots

ASEAN ministers express concern over Chinese actions at sea

Southeast Asian foreign ministers on January 28th expressed concern at Chinese land reclamation in the disputed South China Sea. The statement came after Manila warned fellow members of the ASEAN at a ministers' retreat in Malaysia that the 10-country grouping's credibility was at stake unless it dealt strongly with the "critical issue in our own backyard". "The retreat shared the concern raised by some foreign ministers on land reclamation in the South China Sea," said a statement by the gathering's host, Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman, following the two-day meeting. It mentioned no specific countries.

Philippines, Vietnam upgrade ties

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The Philippines and Vietnam are forging closer ties in a symbolic move after China stepped up activities in disputed areas of the South China Sea, raising tension in the potential flashpoint. Pham Binh Minh, Hanoi's deputy prime minister and foreign minister, on January 29th began a day-two visit to Manila for talks to build a strategic partnership and strengthen security, trade and cultural ties. "We believe a strategic partnership enhances the cooperation on a comprehensive basis," Foreign Minister Albert del Rosario said, adding that the strategic partnership with Vietnam would be Manila's third, after the United States and Japan. The strategic partnership will step up high-level contacts between the two militaries, through joint naval patrols, training and exercises.

More collaboration, interaction between defence forces of Singapore, Indonesia

Four new initiatives to strengthen bilateral defence ties were agreed on by Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen and Indonesian counterpart General (Retired) Ryamizard Ryacudu on the occasion of Indonesian minister’s visit to Singapore. Four new initiatives are: i) Step up collaboration and practical cooperation through existing links between both Armed Forces in common security concerns, such as maritime security and anti-piracy, counter-terrorism and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. ii) Increase bilateral interactions between officials in the defence ministries and military officers through joint training and course participation in each other's institutions. iii) Conduct regular dialogues between senior officials in the defence ministries on regional and strategic issues of mutual interest to both countries. iv) Explore new initiatives built on military-to-military joint interactions, which have brought much benefit to both TNI and SAF.