Philippines claims sovereignty over Spratly against China; United Nations tribunal to rule

China will buy more Malaysian government bonds and give the country a 50 billion yuan ($7.83 billion) quota to invest in Chinese stocks and bonds as it looks to strengthen ties with Southeast Asia, Premier Li Keqiang said on Monday (Nov 23). “In a very high profile manner, the US sent military vessels within 12 nautical miles of China’s islands and reefs”.

Washington has repeatedly said it does not recognise the Chinese claims. While nominally directed at all claimants, Obama’s comments were clearly targeted against China.

The Philippines also entered an official maritime partnership with Vietnam.

A United Nations tribunal at The Hague will hear arguments from the Philippines for sovereignty over some of the hotly contested Spratly Islands.

China’s Defense Ministry said that the US’ move was a “coercive action that seeks to militarize the South China Sea region”, adding that such an action is an “abuse” of freedom of navigation based on the worldwide law. The recent closeness of Beijing and Moscow has raised the question that has China chosen the US’ former cold era enemy, Russia, to counter the United States and weaken its presence in the Asia-Pacific region? He also warned other countries not to “stir up trouble” in the disputed waters.

Speaking at the conclusion of a weeklong meeting of Asia-Pacific leaders in Malaysia, Deputy Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin insisted that China had no intent to militarize the disputed maritime area.

“The world is watching”, to see if Beijing will behave like a “responsible global leader”, Philippines President Benigno Aquino told leaders at the summit hours earlier. In September, the P-8 Poseidon, an American surveillance and submarine hunting aircraft, was rebuffed by the Chinese navy when it neared a Chinese-occupied island in the South China Sea.

Japan backed the United States to the hilt.

“At the US-Japan summit (in Manila), I believe Prime Minister Abe conveyed this stance to President Obama”.

This weekend Japan’s foreign and defense ministers reiterated concerns about China’s strengthening position in the South China Sea as they pressed the case, according to Bloomberg, for their Australian counterparts to buy a new generation of submarines made by Japanese defense contractors. This has caused ripples of alarm in much of East Asia about China’s intentions and freedom of navigation in a waterway through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes annually. The latter has reportedly been building airstrips and defences in the archipelago. As he puts it, the conflicting countries in reality are not China-Vietnam- Philippines-Brunei Darussalam-Malaysia but China vs the USA.

Magdalo Rep. Ashley Acedillo said Obama’s words were “reassuring”, especially with China practically having its way on Philippine territory.

“In this summit we reaffirmed our commitment”. He urged Li not to “fall into a Thucydides Trap”-a reference to the wars in ancient Greece between a rising Athens and Sparta, an established power”. “India hopes that all parties to the disputes in the South China Sea will abide by the guidelines on the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, and redouble efforts for early adoption of a Code of Conduct on the basis of consensus”, Modi said.