Japan under its leader Abe is seeking to change Japan’s Constitution imposed after World War II by the United States to seek more militarization to deal with a rising China, and Taiwan, and South Korea are also moving in that manner.
Advertisement
“China will respond at different levels to the ruling of the … tribunal, ranging from crude propaganda to highly sophisticated”.
But 10-member Asean, whose unity has increasingly come under strain in the shadow of Beijing’s expanding presence in the South China Sea, could not find common ground on the highly sensitive issue involving its massive and powerful neighbour, they said.
Smirnov said that the Permanent Arbitration Court, which established the arbitral tribunal on the South China Sea, should not have considered the dispute, as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) clearly stated that the settlement of disputes under the convention should be made with the consent of both sides.
China claims almost all of the highly strategic sea – home to some of the world’s most important shipping routes – and has steadily strengthened its toehold by converting reefs and sandbars into islands.
The award issued by an arbitral tribunal denying China’s long-standing historical rights in the South China Sea is illegitimate, and the dispute should be resolved through bilateral talks, a leading Russian political expert has said.
Those claims overlap with those of the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.
China warned its rivals on Wednesday against turning the South China Sea into a “cradle of war” and threatened to create an air defense zone, after its claims to the strategically vital waters were declared invalid.
“Secretary Yasay will discuss within the context of Asem’s agenda the Philippines’ peaceful and rules-based approach on the South China Sea and the need for parties to respect the recent decision”, the foreign affairs department said in a statement.
The whitepaper has stated that until 1970s there were no maritime or territorial disputes between China and Philippines. What steps the US, China and Philippines are considering remains unclear.
Approaching the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam, among other Asian countries, the U.S. is attempting to ensure that these nations don’t make aggressive moves in the aftermath of the Hague’s ruling.
“Even the Philippine government was surprised with the ruling”, said Peter Jennings, executive director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute in Canberra. China can choose to be guided by global law, institutions and norms. Mr Lorenzana said Mr Carter told him both the USA and China would show restraint.
Advertisement
Liu told reporters that Beijing is considering establishing an ADIZ over the region it claims, which would require all aircraft entering the zone to identify itself to Beijing before passing through.
