Over the past more than a decade, the DOC principle of having direct talks between concerned parties over their disputes has been significant for China and the ASEAN nations to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea, said the premier.
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“This is counterproductive”, Putin told a news conference late Monday after the Group of 20 summit wrapped up in China, adding that Russian Federation supports Beijing’s stance on The Hague court ruling.
The gathering in Laos is the first ASEAN meeting since an global court ruled in July that China’s claims to the sea had no legal basis, and its artificial island building programme in the waters was illegal.
Beijing came under pressure at an Asian summit Wednesday (Sep 8) over its “illegal” island-building in the South China Sea, after the Philippines produced photos it said showed fresh construction activity at a flashpoint shoal.
“The situation concerning Huangyan Dao (Scarborough Shoal) is unchanged”, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing here, reacting to allegations by the Philippines.
But several of the countries affected have struggled to respond to China’s moves, lacking the air or sea capabilities even to patrol disputed waters.
China will go down in the history and earn the respect of all its neighbours if it turns the PCA rulingas an opportunity paving the way for countries in the region to discuss a new the Code of Conduct (COC) in the disputed areas in the SCS.
On Wednesday the Philippines released photos to back its claims.
China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei claim parts or all of the South China Sea, making it a hot spot of regional tension.
A reclaimed island at Scarborough Shoal could provide Chinaa military base close to the Philippines’ main island of Luzon which is used regularly by American forces as it is about 230 kms away. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte criticised US President Barack Obama on Monday, prompting the cancellation of a meeting between the two leaders in Laos.
There’s no doubt that at recent summits, the South China Sea issue has tended to overshadow issues such the negotiations of a Regional Comprehensive Economic partnership between ASEAN and six other countries, including China.
The US says it has no position on the territorial disputes but wants to ensure freedom of navigation.
Beijing has rejected the ruling and continued its activities. They follow 10 smaller vessels, the first of which Japan delivered in August.
The dispute has become more significant since the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled in July that no country had sovereign rights over activity at Scarborough Shoal, a traditional fishing ground for Chinese, Filipino and Vietnamese.
Japan’s deal with Manila came as a spat between the Philippines and the U.S. dominated the first day of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit. China has refused to recognise the ruling.
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“We won in the arbitral court, but we could not enforce it, how can we explain that to our own fishermen?” said the official, who declined to be identified.
