China accuses Manila, Tokyo of joining forces over South China Sea

“The overall situation in the South China Sea is stable and there is no possibility of major conflict”, said a statement issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry early yesterday morning.

“Freedom of navigation in global waters including in the South China Sea, the right of passage and overflight, unimpeded commerce and access to resources in accordance with the principles of worldwide law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, are issues of concern to us all”.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday accused China of restricting navigation and overflights in the contested waterway, despite giving assurances that such movements would not be impeded.

China, Japan and Korea are key members of the 27-country ASEAN Regional Forum, which also met Thursday…and pivotal players in the East Asia Summit.

“China opposes any non-constructive words and acts that widen division, exaggerate antagonism or create tensions”, the statement cited Mr Wang as telling the forum, which was attended by foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and their dialogue partners.

Tokyo has no claims in the waterway, but is anxious Beijing’s new islands will extend Chinese military reach into sea-lanes through which much of Japan’s shipborne trade passes.

Japan, which has traditionally strong ties economically, politically and culturally with ASEAN, has continued to help boost maritime capabilities of countries including the Philippines and Vietnam – the more vocal among claimants in the South China Sea disputes that also involve Malaysia and Brunei – through means such as patrol boat provision.

Even before the land reclamations, China had sparked rising unease over the years with actions interpreted as seeking to shore up its disputed claims, in violation of a pledge not to upset the status quo.

“The Philippines did not inform the Chinese side in advance, nor did it seek China’s consent and has initiated unilateral arbitration forcefully”, Wang said, urging the Philippines to resolve the dispute through negotiation.

“The paragraph relating to the South China Sea is causing some problems”, he said, adding there was “no consensus on how the paragraph ought to be”. It is also known as Douglas Reef or Parace Vela.

Recognizing the importance of the South China Sea for Japan as a possible “Achilles heel” for its economy in times of contingencies, Tomohito Shinoda, vice president of the worldwide University of Japan and expert on global relations, said at a recent forum in Tokyo on South China Sea issues that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe aims to build a “maritime coalition” with the United States, Australia, India and ASEAN.

The Southeast Asian ministers’ joint final statement noted “the serious concerns expressed by some ministers on the land reclamations in the South China Sea“.

China has also said they would have undefined military purposes.

Japanese media said Kishida told Wang that China should refrain from unilateral gas development in the East China Sea.