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Activities of Related Parties

China

China's new Type 901 AOE conducted replenishment-at-sea trials

Photographs of the new Type 901 fast combat support ship (AOE) built for China's People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) have been published on the PLA Daily website showing the 40,000-tonne ship conducting replenishment-at-sea (RAS) trials with a Yuzhao-class (Type 071) landing platform dock (LPD) amphibious ship in waters of the South China Sea on 24 May. The photographs show both alongside and astern refuelling activities.

China refutes US remarks at Shangri-La dialogue

China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying on June 4 stated: “China builds relevant facilities on islands and reefs of the Nansha Islands for the purpose of improving the working and living conditions for people stationed there, better defending its sovereignty and performing China's international obligations and responsibilities. It is totally within China's sovereignty to deploy necessary defense facilities on its own territory. It is exercising the self-preservation and self-defense rights that a sovereign state is entitled to, and has nothing to do with "militarization." The Chinese side is firmly opposed to that and urges relevant parties to stop their irresponsible remarks, fully respect regional countries' efforts to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea and play a constructive role to that end.” On US Secretary of State’s comments at  the annual Australia-United States Ministerial consultations, Hua stated: “The South China Sea issue has returned to the track of solution through negotiation and consultation by parties directly concerned. We hope relevant parties can fully respect and support regional countries’ efforts to safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea and play a constructive role in this regard, rather than the opposite.” Regarding the US Department of Defense’s report critizing China’s militarization, Hua stated: “I shall say that the relevant report is fraught with bias and Cold-War thinking in total disregard of facts. We hope those from the US military can discard their Cold-War mentality and look at China's development, including China's normal, reasonable and necessary national defense development, in an objective and rational light.”

US activities in South China Sea under surveillance

China always remains vigilant and keeps effective surveillance over the military activities of the related countries in the South China Sea, China's defense ministry announced in a statement on June 9, referring to the US B-1B's flying over the South China Sea on June 8. “The Chinese military will resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and security, and maintain regional peace and stability,” the statement added.

The Philippines 

Philippines firm on South China Sea claims

Speaking at the Japan National Press Club on June 7, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Cayetano said Manila's approach to the territorial dispute may have changed, but its position has not. "The goal has not changed, which is to protect and not give up a single square inch of Philippine territory." "We are setting an environment for peaceful settlement of the dispute and getting all parties back to the negotiating table," he added.

The U.S.

Two U.S. Air Force B-1 Bombers fly 10-hour over the South China Sea

On June 8, two U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancers assigned to the 9th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, deployed from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, flew a 10-hour mission from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, through the South China Sea, and operated with the U.S. Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Sterett (DDG 104) “to increase interoperability by refining joint tactics, techniques and procedures while simultaneously strengthening their ability to seamlessly integrate their operations.” The B-1B Lancers (“Bones” in accordance with the nickname used by their aircrews) have been supporting he U.S. Pacific Command’s (USPACOM) Continuous Bomber Presence mission since August 6, 2016.

Regional Snapshots

Japan pledges to bolster Vietnam's coastal patrol capabilities

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced June 6 that Japan would help bolster Vietnam's coastal patrol capabilities with new patrol boats and defense equipment. The announcement was made in a joint press briefing with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in Tokyo. At the briefing, both sides agreed on the importance of ensuring peace, security, safety, freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea. The two prime ministers also urged all involved parties to avoid taking unilateral actions, such as militarization, to change the status quo and escalate tensions in the region.

Philippine President tours Japan’s biggest warship

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte toured a visiting Japanese warship here at Alava Pier on June 4. This is the first time that helicopter carrier JS Izumo, Japan’s biggest warship since World War II, visited the Philippines. “I’m very happy to visit this ship. I was told I am the first head of state to board this ship,” he told reporters after the tour and a short closed-door meeting with Japanese officials.

US, Australia oppose “militarization” in the South China Sea

On 5 June, Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop, and Minister for Defence Senator Marise Payne, hosted U.S. Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson, and Secretary of Defense James Mattis in Sydney for the annual Australia-United States Ministerial (AUSMIN) consultations. In the joint statement, “the two sides urged all parties to refrain from further militarisation of disputed features, including in the South China Sea (SCS).  They emphasised the importance of upholding lawful freedom of navigation and overflight and adhering to the rules-based order.  They considered the 2016 award by the Arbitral Tribunal under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea as a useful basis for further efforts to peacefully resolve disputes in the SCS.” Speaking after the consultation, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson stated: “China is a significant economic and trading power, and we desire a productive relationship, but we cannot allow China to use its economic power to buy its way out of other problems, whether it’s militarizing islands in the South China Sea or failure to put appropriate pressure on North Korea. They must recognize that with a role as a growing economic and trading power comes security responsibilities as well.”