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Activities of the Claimants

China

Chinese navy conducts live firing drill in South China Sea

The Chinese navy on July 28, conducted a live firing drill in the South China Sea to improve its maritime combat ability.

The exercise involves more than 100 naval vessels,dozens of aircrafts, several missile launch battalions of the Second Artillery Corps, as well as unknown number of information warfare troops, navy sources said. Dozens of missiles and torpedoes and thousands of shells and jamming bombs were fired during the exercise.

The drill tested the navy's air defense and early warning system and improved its ability to react quickly, the sources said.

China disregards U.S. comment on land reclamation activities

On July 30, Senior Colonel Yang Yujun, spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense said, in response to U.S comment on land reclaimation that some high-ranking military and political officials in the U.S. have been making irresponsible accusations against China on the legal activities of China on its own territory. This is typical double standards. He ask the U.S. side to stop such seemingly just but actually hypocritical remarks.

South China sea fishing ban lifted

On August 1, around 9,000 fishing boats are ready to set sail from south China's Hainan Province as a seasonal fishing ban in the South China Sea was lifted on Saturday. Nearly 40,000 fishermen and sailors have been resting since the ban was imposed on May 16.

The fishing ban introduced in the South China Sea since 1999, albeit facing protests from other countries in the region.

Philippines

PH, Vietnam to put up permanent hotline vs illegal fishing

On July 26, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said the creation of a hotline is one way of carrying out the Memorandum of Agreement on Fisheries Cooperation signed by the two countries in 2009.

“The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of the Philippines and the Directorate of Fisheries of Vietnam will work on specific details to report to their respective Department and Ministry, respectively, so that the hotline can be permanently established by the end of 2015,” he said.

The agreement was made during the recent First Meeting of the Joint Agriculture Working Group between the two countries, which was co-chaired by Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning Orlan Calayag and Agriculture and Rural Development Vice Minister Vu Van Tam of Vietnam.

‘China dredging 10 reefs’

China is dredging 10 reefs to provide filling material for artificial islands that it is building on seven reefs in the West Philippine Sea, Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio disclosed on July 30.

Carpio urged the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (Itlos) to assume jurisdiction over the complaint filed by the Philippines against China to preserve the integrity of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos). “If we don’t apply Unclos, then the constitution for the oceans and seas of our planet cannot also apply to any maritime dispute in the rest of the oceans and seas of the world,” Carpio said. “It would be the beginning of the end of Unclos, the rule of the naval cannon will prevail, and the oceans and seas will no longer be under the rule of law,” he stressed.

Japan

Abe’s  shift from his previous stance

Speaking at at an Upper House special committee on July 29, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Japan could conduct minesweeping operations in the South China Sea, which suggested a desire to expand collective self-defense to other areas. He stressed “We will consider it if the situation meets the three conditions (on the use of force under collective self-defense),"

The shift is apparently aimed at emphasizing the importance of enacting the controversial security bills during the current Diet session by alluding to a change in the security environment due to China's growing maritime presence.

The United States

U.S. says Europeans could help more in South China Sea dispute

In a rare admonishment of a close ally, the United States urged the European Union on July 29 to speak out more forcefully to support Washington in its dispute with China over building and militarization of man-made outposts in the South China Sea.

Amy Searight, U.S. deputy assistant secretary of defense for South and Southeast Asia, said Washington welcomed EU calls for a peaceful resolution of territorial disputes in the sea and respect for international law.

"A little bit more forward-leaning approach that would support, for example, the idea of a halt to further reclamation, further militarization, would be very useful."

Michael Fuchs, U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asia, said there was a need to reduce the risks of conflict in the South China Sea, where China has overlapping claims with several states. "This is about ... speaking up when we see activity that is concerning," he said.

Pacom Chief: China’s Land Reclamation Has Broad Consequences

China’s land reclamation in the South China Sea could have far-reaching U.S. security and economic consequences by disrupting international rules and norms that have supported the global community for decades, the commander of U.S. Pacific Command said July 24.

In a security forum panel discussion in Aspen, Colorado, Navy Adm. Harry B. Harris Jr. said China’s assertiveness in the South China Sea is an issue the American public must know about and the United States must address.

“While Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan have also conducted land reclamation in the South China Sea, their total -- approximately 100 acres over 45 years -- is dwarfed by the size, scope and scale of China’s massive buildup,” Harris said. “In only 18 months, China has reclaimed almost 3,000 acres.”

Harris said the U.S. has called for peaceful resolution of South China Sea disputes, an end to attempts to unilaterally change the status quo, and an immediate halt to land reclamation by all claimants.

“We call on China to use the mechanisms of international dispute resolution in good faith,” he continued, “and to abide by those decisions as so many of its regional neighbours have already done.”

The Austrialia

Kevin Rudd rejects fears of regional war

On July 27, Mr Rudd bluntly rejected respected China expert David Shambaugh​'s argument Chinese communist rule was in its final phase. It was on a discussion aired on US TV news channel CNN. "This so-called China collapse-ism thesis has been galloping along here in the US, and elsewhere in the world, since David wrote that," Mr Rudd said.

Mr Rudd also rejected fears US and China sabre-rattling in the South China Sea would spark a regional military conflict. "I think the underlying dynamic is that neither side has any interest to allow any significant incident to occur, which would then flame into a regional conflict," Mr Rudd, president of the New York-headquartered Asia Society Policy Institute, said.

"From the Chinese side that would upset the agenda in terms of their number one priority which is to continue to transform the economy.

"And secondly from Beijing's perspective, if they were to trigger conflict with the United States, the military realists in the People's Liberation Army know full well that they would in all probability lose hands down.

"From the American side, America as we have seen more broadly in US strategic policy around the world, has no particular interest in going to war by accident or design in Asia so these incidents will come and go.

Regional Snapshot

Vietnamese, UK PMs hold talks with focus on enhancing ties

On July 29, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung held talks with his United Kingdom counterpart David Cameron in Hanoi, focusing on a range of measures to beef up cooperative ties in various fields.

The two leaders spoke highly of strengthened relations in a number of realms such as politics-diplomacy, trade-investment, development cooperation, and education-training, as well as the increasing number of bilateral visits in recent years. They agreed to facilitate the exchange of visits at all levels and effectively implement existing dialogue mechanisms in the fields of politics, national defence-security, economics and trade.

With regard to the East Sea (South China Sea) issue, the two leaders exchanged views on regional and global matters of mutual concern. They voiced concerns over recent tensions in the sea, especially large-scaled construction, expansion and changing of the status quo of reefs in the East Sea, which have threatened peace, stability and safety and freedom of navigation in the region.

Both sides emphasised their common stance on peacefully settling regional territorial disputes, avoiding actions that could complicate the situation, not using force or threatening to use force, complying with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and striving to complete a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

Russian Navy fleet visits Da Nang city

On July 31, the Pacific Fleet of the Russian Navy—including Russian Navy Destroyer Admiral Panteleyev, Oil Products Tanker Pechenga and Rescue tug SB-522—anchored at Tien Sa port, beginning their goodwill visit to the central city of Da Nang through August 2.

The fleet is commanded by Colonel Potapov Aleksandr Valerievich and carries 482 officers and crewmembers on board.

The visit is intended to intensify bilateral defence cooperation between the two armies and the two navies in particular.

During their stay, the naval officers and crewmembers plan to lay wreaths at the city’s monument for war martyrs and heroes, pay courtesy visits to leaders of the municipal People’s Committee and the High Command of the Naval Region 3, and visit several tourist attractions in Da Nang and the surrounding provinces.

ASEAN, UK to Deepen Cooperative Relations

On July 28, Prime Minister David Cameron made a historic visit to the ASEAN Secretariat, pledging to deepen the UK's economic ties with the region.

In welcoming the Prime Minister, H.E. Le Luong Minh, Secretary-General of ASEAN, said the visit reflected the UK's commitment and political will to deepen its relations with ASEAN. He stated that the UK's keen interest in strengthening economic relations augurs well with the region's drive towards greater economic integration.

Secretary-General Minh and Prime Minister Cameron exchanged views on a number of regional and international issues that affect peace and stability. On South China Sea issues, Secretary-General Minh and Prime Minister Cameron agreed on the importance of efforts towards a peaceful solution in accordance with international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and ASEAN 's Six Points Principles.

ASEAN, Chinese officials review DOC implementation

On July 29, the 9th meeting on the implementation of the Declaration on the Conducts of Parties in the East Sea (South China Sea) that took place in China’s Tianjin city

The event was co-chaired by Permanent Secretary of Thailand’s Foreign Ministry Noppadon Theppitak and Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin.

Besides reviewing the realisation of the DOC, the officials discussed measures to speed up consultations between ASEAN and China towards the formation of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC). They also prepared relevant discussion content for the ASEAN-China Ministerial Meeting and Post Ministerial Conference slated for August.

ASEAN, China discuss ‘hotline’ for sea dispute: Philippines

On August 2, Foreign Department spokesman Charles Jose said ASEAN and China are discussing setting up a “hotline” in case of an emergency regarding the territorial dispute over the South China Sea. The proposed hotline was discussed during a meeting of senior diplomats from China and ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, in Tianjin last week. However, He stressed the hotline would not be unveiled at an upcoming meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers.

THE EAST SEA STUDIES