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Activities of the Claimants

China

China’s respones against recent developments in the South China Sea

In a regular press conference on June 9th, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying, denounced Vietnam and the Philippines for getting together on a disputed island in the South China Sea to play soccer and volleyball, calling it "a clumsy farce" and demanded both countries stop causing trouble. “We require the Philippines and Vietnam to stop all the provocative actions, strictly abide by the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and refrain from any action that may complicate and aggravate the disputes,” she stated. Regarding the position paper submitted to the UN, she said that “the Vietnamese side has gone even further by carrying out more disruptive and destructive activities at the site, spreading rumors around the world to vilify and hurt China unscrupulously and groundlessly and issuing notes that distort facts to international organizations including the UN. Given that, we must present the facts in front of the international community so as to set the record straight.”  Concering the Vietnamese allegation that China has sent six warships to guard its oil rig in the disputed waters, in a regular press conference on June 11th, Spokesperson Hua said that because of Vietnam's continuous, forceful and illegal disruptions, China have sent government vessels to the site for security. Regarding the Vietnamese fishing boat rammed and sunk by a Chinese vessel in the Beibu Bay, she said that relevant Chinese authorities confirm after investigation that this incident has never happened.

China looks to U.N. in Vietnam spat over oil rig

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Despite Beijing's shunning of international forums when it comes to dispute resolution, Chinese officials on June 9th sent U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon what it called a position paper detailing Vietnam's "illegal disruption" of the "routine" activities of an offshore drilling platform that China deployed near the Paracel Islands in May. The position paper alleged that Vietnam had accepted Chinese ownership of the Paracels decades ago, only to "go back on its word by making territorial claims" from the 1970s onward. Chinese companies had been drilling in the area for 10 years, it continued, and only now was Vietnam "illegally and forcefully disrupting the Chinese operation and ramming the Chinese vessels." As of June 7, Chinese ships had been rammed 1,416 times by Vietnamese vessels, according to the Chinese account.

China Coast Guard vessel heads for South China Sea training

A China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel started its maiden voyage on June 12th for a three-day training mission in the South China Sea, the State Oceanic Administration said on June 13th. CCG 1401, leaving a shipbuilding company in Guangzhou, capital city of south China's Guangdong Province, is expected to complete 14 training tasks during the mission, according to the administration. With a displacement of 5,196 tonnes, the vessel of the administration's North China Sea Branch is 99 meters long and 15.2 meters in width.

China accuses Vietnam of ramming vessels over 1,500 times

At a special briefing with reporters June 13th, Chinese foreign ministry official Yi Xianliang accused Vietnamese vessels of ramming Chinese ships near an oil rig in contested waters a total of 1,547 times since May 2nd. Vietnam now has 61 ships in the area while China has 71, including government and auxiliary ships, Yi said. Relations between Vietnam and China have plummeted over the oil rig's presence, worsening an increasingly heated row over territorial claims in the area. Anti-China riots sparked by Beijing's dispatch of the rig claimed three Chinese lives in Vietnam last month, according to Hanoi. Beijing says four Chinese citizens died in the unrest. Also on this occasion, he dismissed Vietnamese reports that Beijing has rejected Hanoi's suggestion to hold a bilateral summit and high-level meetings. In addition, he said that China will never send military forces to the scene of an increasingly ugly spat with Vietnam over an oil rig in the South China Sea and accused Hanoi of trying to force an international lawsuit. "I can tell you very clearly that from May 2nd to today (June 13th), including to when the (drilling) operations are complete, we have never, are not and will never send military forces. Because we are carrying out normal, civilian, commercial activities". "What I can tell you is that this is on a maritime route and at some periods there have been certain Chinese military ships coming back from the south but these have been far away" from where the standoff round the rig has been taking place, Yi added.

China starts building first school in Paracel islands

The construction of Yongxing School, including a kindergarten and a primary school, is expected to be completed in a year and a half, said mayor Xiao Jie of the so-called Sansha City. With a total investment of about 36 million yuan (about 5.76 million U.S. dollars), the school will cover 4,650 square meters, Xiao said.

Chinese navy to join 2014 RIMPAC naval drill

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The Chinese navy will participate in the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) multinational naval exercises for the first time this year, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Daily reported June 9th. The PLA Daily quoted Liang Yang, navy spokesman, as saying that it is the first time the Chinese navy will participate in the joint maritime exercises organized by the US navy. Liang was quoted as saying Chinese forces attending the drill will include a missile destroyer, a missile frigate, a supplier ship, a hospital ship and two vessel-carried helicopters, a special battle force and a diving force.

PLA completes next-gen nuclear submarine tests in South China Sea

The People's Liberation Army Navy has successfully completed its first organized tests of China's new generation of nuclear submarines, reports the Communist Party mouthpiece People's Daily. The high-pressure tests were reportedly completed by a special research unit inside the PLA Navy which has been responsible for testing almost all of the China's modern underwater and submarine systems. "Our country's new generation of underwater weapons and equipment carries the dream of a powerful national military," said Fei Zhigang, director of the research unit. "No matter how much risk it puts us under, it's worth it!"

Vietnam

Vietnam demands China withdraw oil rig at UNCLOS meeting

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Vietnam once again requested China to immediately withdraw its drilling rig and accompanying vessels from the maritime waters of Vietnam, Ambassador Le Hoai Trung, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations has said. Addressing the plenary session of the 24th meeting of States-Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in New York on June 13th, Ambassador Trung also demanded China settle disputes through negotiations and other peaceful means in accordance with international law, including the UNCLOS. As head of the Vietnamese delegation to the event, the diplomat also called for the continued attention by the international community, including UNCLOS States Parties, to the situation in the South China Sea and their opposition against unilateral acts that create tensions. He also called for the international community’s support for the non-use or threat of use of force and settlement of disputes in accordance with international law, including the UNCLOS 1982.

International lawyers association releases resolution on South China Sea issue

The Vietnamese International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL) announced a resolution on the escalating violence in the South China Sea at a press conference in Hanoi on June 11th. IADL has been informed that there have been several incidents directed against Vietnamese fishing boats, damaging some, injuring fishermen and sinking a Vietnamese fishing vessel, the document adds. After considering these facts, the association has decided to send a letter to the Chinese authorities, asking all relevant sides to solve disputes peacefully and strictly comply with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, to which China and Vietnam are signatories. IADL demands China to clarify legal basis of its placement of the rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 in Vietnam’s waters, deployment of vessels and aircraft to the rig’s vicinity, along with its provocative acts such as ramming and firing water cannons at Vietnamese ships. It calls upon China, as a UN member and a permanent member of the UN Security Council, to completely respect and observe the UN Charters and behave in line with its status as a major country in maintaining regional and international peace, stability and security.

The Philippines

No compromise in arbitration case vs China

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Malacañang will not enter into any compromise in the arbitration case before the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea to press the country’s maritime entitlements in the South China Sea. Speaking to reporters, Philippine presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said China’s investments will not stop the Philippines from pursuing the arbitration case filed against China concerning the country’s exclusive economic zone. “With respect to South China Sea, we have made a stand,” he said. “Let’s resort to arbitration. This cannot be done in any other way.” Lacierda said the friendly statements of Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua during June 10th night’s celebration of the 13th China-Philippines Friendship Day and the 116th Philippine Independence Day are welcome. “We certainly welcome the change of tone, one that would foster understanding between China and the Philippines when it comes to the South China Sea. We would certainly hope that the exchange between China and the Philippines when it comes to rhetoric would be diminished and rather emphasize the more positive aspects of (the relations), ensuring that we come up with a resolution to this unfortunate incident in the South China Sea,” he said.

PH files protest vs China’s reclamation project in South China Sea reef

The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has filed a new protest against China’s reclamation in Tu Nghia Reef (internationally known as Hughes reef, the Philippines calls it McKennan reef) in the South China Sea. “It was earlier confirmed that reclamation is being done,” DFA spokesman Charles Jose said in a press conference June 13th. He said the protest was filed “last week.” China has not yet responded to the protest. Previously, PhilStar revealed a confidential Malacañang report detailed the land reclamation activities of China in five areas, namely Gac Ma Reef (Johnson South Reef or Mabini Reef), Chau Vien Reef (Cuarteron Reef or Calderon Reef), Tu Nghia Reef (Hughes Reef or Kennan Reef), Ga Ven Reef (Gaven Reef or Burgos Reef) and En Dat Reef (Eldad Reef or Malvar Reef). No such activities were monitored at three other areas, namely Chu Thap Reef (Fiery Cross Reef or Kagitingan Reef), Xu Bi Reef (Subi Reef or Zamora Reef) and Vanh Khan Reef (Mischief Reef or Panganiban Reef), where China had built military garrisons and communications facilities. But the report does not rule out the possibility of China doing land reclamation activities in these three areas once the work is done in the first five reefs.

Japan

Japanese resolution calls on China to show self restraint

The Foreign Affairs Committee of Japan’s House of Representatives on June 11th issued a resolution calling upon China to show self restraint in the waters surrounding Paracel islands. The resolution states that China’s unilateral exploration of oil in the vicinity of Paracel islands and announcement of a ship exclusion zone have prolonged disputes between Vietnam and China and escalated tensions in the South China Sea . The document also says the intimidation, coercion and use of force to claim territory is unacceptable. Affirming that not only Japan , but also the whole international community, cares about peace and stability in the South China Sea , the committee says it is vital to settle disputes through peaceful measures and dialogue.

The U.S.

China 'occupying' South China Sea areas, breaking vows

The reported Chinese reclamation work and large scale construction of outposts in the South China Sea are an affront to the multilateral Declaration of Conduct that China agreed to follow, a top official of the US Department of State said. Daniel Russel, chief of the Bureau of East Asia and Pacific Affairs, denounced China's moves "occupying uninhabited land features" as going "far beyond what a reasonable person would consider with the maintenance of the status quo." "The status quo as applied in 2002 when the ten ASEAN countries and China reached an agreement on a Declaration of Conduct that clearly and explicitly committed themselves to exercise restraint, to avoid occupying uninhabited land features, and—to paraphrase—to keep things as they were," Russel said in a phone conference with journalists in Burma on June 10th. He said that China's behavior does not contribute to negotiations for a code of conduct that will effectively bind rival claimant states in the strategic waterway. Russel also reiterated Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel's warning against coercion and use of force in the maritime areas as "unacceptable."Countries embroiled in the sea row may choose diplomatic or legal means to settle outstanding issues instead, he urged

US, Australia to cooperate over South China Sea issues

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US President Barack Obama and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott say abiding by international law is key to solving territorial disputes in the South China Sea. The leaders met at the White House on June 12th. Their agenda included security and economic issues in the Asia-Pacific region. They discussed sovereignty rows in the South China Sea between China and other countries including Vietnam and the Philippines. After the meeting, Obama told reporters that the United States and Australia have vital trade relations with China. He said that what's important is that as China emerges as this great world power, that it also is helping to reinforce and abide by basic international law and norms. Abbott said the US should never have to address a whole range of security issues on its own. He added that Australia is doing its part to secure the freedom and safety of the world.

Full remark

U.S. seeks deeper Asia-Pacific ties

 

President Barack Obama’s senior foreign policy adviser, Susan Rice, said on June 11th that the United States is seeking closer security ties with countries in Asia-Pacific region. “Our (the U.S.) security also relies on defining and upholding rules that govern our shared spaces—rules that reject aggression, impede the ability of large nations to bully smaller ones, and establish ways to resolve conflicts peacefully.  A key element of our Asia Rebalance is collaborating with our partners to strengthen regional institutions and international norms.  That’s why we are working with ASEAN to advance a code of conduct for the South China Sea that would enhance maritime security, reinforce international law, and strengthen the regional rules of the road.”

Italy

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, Italian counterpart talk about South China Sea situation

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Vietnamese PM Nguyen Tan Dung on June 16th noted that Italian PM Matteo Renzi’s official visit to Viet Nam marked a new stage in the development of the two countries’ relations. This is the first visit of an Italian PM to Viet Nam since the two sides set up diplomatic ties in 1973. During their talks on the same day, the two PMs briefed each other about recent developments in their respective countries and discussed measures to beef up the bilateral ties. Regarding the South China Sea situation, PM Dung informed the guest about China’s illegal installation of the oil rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 well within Viet Nam’s continental shelf and economic zone in line with the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Regional Snapshots

China envoy to the Philippines: Sea dispute temporary

Amid his country’s assertive behavior in the South China Sea, China’s ambassador to the Philippines on June 10th assured Filipinos that the territorial dispute would be “temporary” and was optimistic that it would eventually be resolved peacefully. Speaking during the 13th Filipino-Chinese Friendship Day celebration in Manila, Ambassador Zhao Jianhua said his country and its Asian neighbors share a “common aspiration to maintain regional peace and stability. ”Compared with our thousand-year-old friendship and extensive cooperation, the difficulties we are facing on [the] South China Sea issue are temporary,” he said in the presence of President Aquino and other top government officials. “It is our common responsibility to handle the South China Sea issue in a proper and peaceful manner.” In his speech, the President reiterated his government’s position that the dispute with China was not the “sum total” of its relationship with the Philippines. In respone, Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III lauded China for its reassurance that it is valuing peace and stability in the region even amidst its territorial dispute with the Philippines. Citing President Jintao’s statement, President Aquino said “the disputes that we do have in the sea that borders our respective lands should not be the sum total of our relationships.” “Our relationships are based on so many more things, not just on this dispute, and that peace and stability are necessary components for our own – for everybody’s progress,” he added.

UN supports Vietnam’s South China Sea stance

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John Ashe, President of the current UN General Assembly session, has raised the international community’s concern about recent South China Sea tensions and supported Vietnam’s stance towards settling the dispute by peaceful means in line with the UN Charter and international law. Receiving ambassador Le Hoai Trung head of the Vietnamese mission to the UN, in New York on June 10th, Ashe called on parties concerned not to carry out unilateral acts to escalate tensions in the region. He said his office has followed the situation with keen interest and it is willing to lend a helping hand to the parties in addressing the issue.

UN calls on peaceful resolution for South China Sea disputes

In a daily press briefing on June 10th, answering the question related to whether the Secretary-General intend to try to use his good offices to mediate the dispute or appoint a Special Representative for the dispute, UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric said that “the Secretary-General expressed his position during his speech to the Shanghai summit encouraging all those who are involved in disputes in those seas to do it through the framework of international law and in, through peaceful dialogue.  As a matter of rule, the Secretary-General’s good offices are always available to anyone but obviously it always involves both parties asking for his good offices, but that’s just a matter of principle.” 

ASEAN, US commit to deeper bilateral cooperation

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the US have voiced their hope for closer cooperation in political-security, economics and socio-cultural fields at their recent 27th dialogue in Yangon, Myanmar. According to a press release from ASEAN, the meeting explored the ways and means to enhance coordination in such areas as maritime security, trans-national crime prevention - including terrorism, human trafficking and wildlife smuggling - renewable and clean energy, infrastructure, disaster management, education, and the environment. Both sides are engaged in various frameworks aimed at improving the quality of life for ASEAN people. They reaffirmed their commitment to working together on capacity building programmes to help ASEAN meet its community building goals by 2015.