An aerial photo of an illegal airfield that China built
on Fiery Cross Reef of Vietnam's Truong Sa archipelago (Photo: AFP)
After an array of activities to illegally reclaim and construct military
facilities and bases in the East Sea and the deployment of weapons on
artificial islands that were illegally built in Truong Sa (Spratly)
archipelago, China’s latest move in Hoang Sa has evidenced the country’s
continued acceleration of militarising the East Sea regardless of international
opposition.
Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera said this is the next step of China
to unilaterally change the status quo in the East Sea. Meanwhile, spokesman of
the US Pentagon Christopher Logan said China’s continued militarisation only
serves to raise tensions and destabilise the region.
At the ongoing G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in Buenos Aires of
Argentina, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop raised her country’s
concerns about China’s militarisation in the East Sea.
Philippine presidential spokesman Harry Roque also expressed serious concerns
on the move’s impact on efforts to maintain peace and stability in the region.
This is not the first time China’s unilateral military moves have encountered
international criticism.
In early May 2018, in response to the Chinese missile deployment in the
structures that it built illegally in Vietnam’s Truong Sa archipelago, the US
warned about near-term and long-term consequences, noting that China cannot and
should not have a hostile attitude in the East Sea.
Chief of the US Pacific Command Admiral Philip Davidson, who took office on May
18, said China’s actions affirm its intention to control the East Sea.
Echoing the view, Gregory Poling, a fellow at the Centre for Strategic and
International Studies, said China is crossing an important threshold. The
missile deployment is a clear threat to other claimants and furthers China’s
goal of establishing complete control over the water and airspace of the East
Sea.
China’s deployment of weapons in the structures it illegally built in the East
Sea and its large-scale military moves in the waters clearly run counter to
commitments the country made not to militarise the East Sea.
This is also contrary to the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East
Sea (DOC), signed by China and the member states of the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2002, which requires the countries to
maintain the status quo and not complicate the East Sea situation.
Moreover, China made these moves when it and the ASEAN countries reached an
important common perception in together building a Code of Conduct (COC) of
parties in the East Sea towards a transparent and rule-based regional
architecture and an East Sea of peace and stability.
The Chinese moves undermine and hamper negotiation efforts to finalise the COC,
which aims to create prerequisites for the settlement of East Sea disputes and
maintain peace, stability, security and safety of navigation in the region.
China’s deployment of bombers and missiles in the East Sea has run counter to
international law and seriously violated Vietnam’s sovereignty, in both legal
and historical aspects, over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagoes.
Those activities have affected the friendship and comprehensive strategic
cooperative partnership between Vietnam and China. They have also breached the
two countries’ agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of
sea-related issues as well as the common perception shared between the
countries’ leaders to solve obstacles in the East Sea issue. The two sides
previously agreed to continue implementing the DOC in a comprehensive and
effective manner, soon build the COC, control sea-related disagreements well
and not take actions complicating the situation.
China’s sending of weapons to illegal structures in Hoang Sa and Truong Sa only
raises tensions and blights trust among parties involved in the East Sea issue.
As a big country with an important role in the international arena, China has
the responsibility to adjust its behaviour in the East Sea on the basis of
international law, end all unilateral actions complicating the situation, show
a constructive attitude and contribute to the maintenance of peace, stability,
friendship and cooperation in the region.
Source: VNA
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