US envoy brands Chinese sea actions ‘alarming’

From the Daily Tribune (Dec 14): US envoy brands Chinese sea actions ‘alarming’

The US government reaffirmed its willingness to help solve the worsening row on the South China Sea, United States ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg said even as he  added China’s behavior in the maritime territorial rift is “very alarming.”

In an ambush interview last Friday during the handing of an award to Coca-Cola Philippines, Goldberg said the US government is very much concerned about the aggressiveness of China in building structures in the disputed islets in the sea.

“For the nth time, we will affirm that we are supporting all means of legal and diplomatic remedies to end the row in that part of the sea. We do support the Philippines’ claim to bring this issue to Unclos (United Nations Commission on the Law of the Sea). However, the behavior of China is very alarming,” Goldberg told The Daily Tribune in the interview.

Although the 58-year-old ambassador didn’t elaborate what he meant of “alarming,” China had recently taken moves that raised concerns within the region such as the sending of its biggest nuclear-powered warship to patrol the area as early as April 2013; the renaming of some islets; and coming up with a new map wherein the disputed islets are now shown officially part of China.

Goldberg also appealed to China to stop its provocative remarks about the islands as these statements don’t help in resolving the issue on West Philippine Sea. The sea is still officially called South China Sea and was just given a new unofficial name to soften China’s rigid claim to the islets.

The ambassador said there is no better way to solve the row at the West Philippine Sea than letting the UNCLOS decide which among China, the Philippines and four other claimants really own the islets.

“The most concerning issue is the alarming behavior of China,” Goldberg reiterated. The disputed islets, collectively called Pagasa or Spratlys by the Philippines, are also claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan.

Several text inquires were sent to Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman assistant secretary Charles Jose regarding the next move of the Philippines to intensify its claim on the islets but he didn’t reply.

Jose was quoted in earlier reports that the country will answer in an oral argument in The Hague, Netherlands some questions regarding the dispute.

Since the dispute began, China has already been engaged in three naval standoffs with Vietnam. The encounters resulted in deaths of several Vietnamese sailors. No military encounter has so far occurred between the Philippines and China.

Many observers said the disputed islets and islands have vast oil deposits, thus making it attractive for all claimants to strengthen their claim in the areas.

The government earlier shrugged off criticisms from China after Beijing slammed the Philippines for challenging its territorial claims in international courts, in a dispute over resource-rich waters.

Jose denied Manila was taking its complaint to a UN tribunal as a way to put China under foreign pressure.

“Our position is that arbitration is the durable solution,” Jose said.

The Philippines infuriated China when it filed a formal complaint to the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague in March asking it to rule on China’s claims over most of the South China Sea.

China refused to recognize the process and has until next week to reply to the government’s complaint.

Jose said China’s decision not to participate would not affect proceedings and the tribunal may decide the case by “early 2016”.

“We take note that China has officially stated its position on the matter of arbitration... We also note the points raised in the (Chinese) paper,” he said.

“Its underlying goal is not... to seek peaceful settlement of the South China Sea issue, but rather, by resorting to arbitration, to put political pressure on China,” the Chinese foreign ministry said in the paper published by the official Xinhua news agency.

China’s claims over the South China Sea conflict with the territorial claims of the Philippines as well as Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Just before the UN complaint was filed, Chinese ships tried to chase away a Philippine ship on a resupply mission to Filipino soldiers stationed on a marooned ship serving as an outpost in the disputed waters.

The South China Sea, a major sea lane and fishing ground, which is believed to hold vast mineral resources, has become a flashpoint for maritime territorial tensions.

In recent years, the Philippines has filed repeated diplomatic protests over what it sees as Chinese attempts to strengthen its claim to the disputed waters.

China and members of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), meanwhile, were urged to build a community of common destiny with strategic mutual trust to meet the supreme interests of all parties, experts from both sides said at the ASEAN Development Forum 2014 held here on Saturday.

Wilfrido Villacorta, former deputy secretary general of ASEAN and former Philippine Ambassador and Permanent Representative to ASEAN, said.

“We aspire to serve as each other’s catalyst in bringing about better quality of life for our peoples and in contributing to peace and prosperity in our whole region,” he said.

As the university fellow and full professor of political science and international relations in De La Salle University in Manila, Villacorta also said the formation of the ASEAN Dream complements the Chinese Dream.

ASEAN neighbors hope that China will support and even act as a catalyst to the integration of the ASEAN, and of all the ecnonomies in the region, China has the wherewithal to play this facilitative role, Villacorta added.

Tao Yitao, vice secretary of the Party Committee of Shenzhen University and director of China Center for Special Economic Zone Research of Shenzhen University, said China and ASEAN share the same Asian culture, which is diversified and comprehensive, paving the way for mutual cooperation and development.

She said the two sides should accept and encourage the development of individual country while resolving the conflicts in order to reach common prosperity.

Keo Chandara, deputy director general of the General Department of Agence Kampuchea Presse in Cambodia, said Cambodia and other ASEAN countries have already voiced their welcome and support to the building of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.

He said China and ASEAN should further enhance mutual understanding and deepen political mutual trust and also expand people-to-people and cultural exchanges so as to contribute to the development of China-ASEAN relations, particularly deepening China- ASEAN strategic partnership.

http://www.tribune.net.ph/headlines/us-envoy-brands-chinese-sea-actions-alarming