US calls on China, rivals to be calm when sea ruling issued

Two carriers operated in the South China Sea and East China Sea in 2012.

The next day, the Philippines submitted evidence to the arbitration court in The Hague, which proceeded to hear the case despite China’s refusal to take part in the proceedings.

On the contrary, according to researchers at the US Naval War College (NWC) with whom I recently spoke, these vessels are in actuality a maritime militia subsidized by Beijing and effectively a part-time military organization. The US Navy has made it a point to repeatedly sail very close to Chinese-claimed islands in the sea, and to publicize those moves as “challenges” to China.

The 100,000-ton Nimitz class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis was joined in the South China Sea last week by the USS Ronald Reagan, allowing the two to carry out dual flight operations in global waters. The primary difference this time is a rhetorical one, as the previous operations were not heavily publicized, and this time the Navy is eager to present it as a huge deal.

At the same time, when the expected ruling against illegal occupation is announced, “the United States and others [should] act promptly to demonstrate” their support of the ruling and the right of freedom of navigation through worldwide waters, he said.

Navy vessels pursued and fired several warning shots, until eventually a Chinese-flagged ship was stopped and boarded, the statement said.

Now, China has indicated that it might exit the convention if an upcoming ruling by an worldwide tribunal runs counter to its questionable position: that almost the entire South China Sea is its territory.

China has said it recognizes Indonesia’s sovereignty over the Natuna Islands themselves.

By contrast, analysts say the USA deployment of “Growler” electronic warfare fighters to Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines last week, and its placement of A-10C “Warthog” attack planes there in April, are a more direct signal of Washington’s commitment to Manila ahead of the court verdict.

China has said it does not dispute Indonesia’s sovereignty over the Natuna Islands, but Kalla said its ships sometimes claim that they have the right to operate in waters around the islands because they are “traditional Chinese fishing grounds”.

Washington and China’s rivals have been accusing Beijing of attempting to take advantage of the situation and gradually assert control in the South China Sea.

Tensions between the nuclear-armed United States and China continue to escalate over the contentious South China Sea issue further sparking WW3 rumors of a risky thermonuclear war that will engulf all the continents.

China, too, has been busy rallying support for its position on the South China Sea issue, claiming the backing of as many as 60 countries including the likes of Pakistan, Kenya, Vanuatu and Afghanistan.

Unlike some of its Southeast Asian neighbours, Indonesia does not dispute ownership of reefs or islets in the sea with China.

The Paracels, known as the Xisha Islands in Chinese, are also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan.

The Philippines hopes a favourable ruling will help to build global pressure on China to make concessions and reverse or stall its expansionist efforts in the sea.