South China Sea situation worrisome: Vietnam PM

[rooster59]

South China Sea situation worrisome: Vietnam PM

By Supalak Ganjanakhundee 
The Nation

 

Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his wife arrive in Bangkok for the Asean Summit on Saturday. 

 

Despite progress in negotiations between Asean and China towards establishing a Code of Conduct (COC) for the contentious South China Sea, Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said on Saturday that the situation on the ground remained complicated.

 

“Unlawful unilateral activities, including land reclamation to change the status quo, militarisation, collisions that put lives of fishermen in danger are worrisome," Phuc told The Nation in an interview via e-mail.

 

“These behaviours have eroded trust and are not conducive to promotion of dialogue and maintenance of peace and stability in the region,” he said.

 

Phuc arrived in Thailand on Saturday for 34th Asean Summit where many hot security issues will be discussed.

 

Vietnam is among Asean members at loggerheads with China over the territorial disputes in the contentious sea. The region became a flashpoint as China began militarisation by building facilities for military use years ago.

 

The group and China signed a legally non-binding declaration on the conduct (DOC) of parties in the South China Sea in 2002 to regulate the sea, but the situation remains tense.

 

The group and China are now working to have a legally binding code of conduct to control the behaviour of riparian states. Ministers and senior officials of the group expect to conclude the first reading of the text by the end of this year.

 

“Against that backdrop, Asean needs to firmly adhere to its fundamental position on the South China Sea, in which the parties concerned should exercise restraint, refrain from any action which may further complicate the situation," Phuc said.

 

“All parties must refrain from militarisation and seek to resolve disputes by peaceful means on the basis of international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS [United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea], strictly and fully implement the DOC and strive to formulate a COC that is effective and substantive in line with international law and endorsed by the international community,” he said.

 

Prime Minister Phuc also said maintaining peace, security and stability in the region was a pre-requisite for sustainable development and prosperity of all nations.

 

“In the meantime, we are witnessing the strong emergence of both traditional and non-traditional security challenges, alongside multiple hotspots that pose serious threats to peace and stability in the region and the world. These have caused major concerns for all of us,” he said.

 

“It is Vietnam’s position that security issues must be satisfactorily resolved by peaceful means on the basis of international law, so as to avoid their escalation into conflict hotspots, which may pose a threat to peace, stability and prosperity in the region,” he said.

 

“In recent years, Asean has made efforts to contribute to addressing regional security issues, including the South China Sea, [the ethnic conflict in] Rakhine state in Myanmar, the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, terrorism and transnational crimes, among others. Vietnam has been and will continue contributing actively to these joint efforts,” Phuc said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30371567

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-06-23

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[seminomadic]

First

 

[holy cow cm]

Crying about it will not help unless everyone binds together and bloodies the nose of the Chinese devil trying to take all sovereignty rights in the Sea that belongs to everyone. The Chinese government is a full distasteful lying aggressor that always falls back on they are misunderstood. Those days need to come to and end, and unfortunately if it does take a war or huge skirmish to let them know then so be it before they are truly too big and everyone is powerless to do anything.

[seajae]

china is simply bullying everyone that disagrees with them, they are refusing to accept any other countries maritime boundaries but their own and no country has the balls to do anything about it. This will only end when china is put in its place and made to accept that they cannot simply make up claims for whatever they want, someone needs to bloody their nose to show then they are not what they are claiming, their current leader needs to be removed permanently

 

[ChrisY1]

Vietnam probably is the only country to voice their concerns....Lao, Cambodia, Thailand and the Philipines have all been seduced by money from China....and China' land boundaries continue to grow unchecked.

Even Australia, the bastion of democracy (bulls__t), pussy foots about, says very little and does nothing.....well not exactly does nothing...China was gifted the port of Darwin for the next 97 years....all for $500m which has long gone with zero benefit!

[BarnicaleBob]

He stated that all should be in line with international law for the South China Sea.  The problem that many fail to see, is that China has already said they do not respect and will not oblige to international law.  That was China's response to the legal decision in the case the Philippians filed in the international court a few of years ago over China building islands inside of the Philippians economic zones in the South China Sea.  

[Uptooyoo]

It's time for the U.S. Navy to sink Chinese fishing boats acting aggressively. They have been co-opted by the Chinese Navy and are operating under their direction. International law does not recognize China's claim on the ocean extending hundreds of miles from their shore. It's time to enforce the law.

[Srikcir]

1 hour ago, Uptooyoo said:

It's time for the U.S. Navy to sink Chinese fishing boats acting aggressively.

Inappropriate.

The U.S. has no sovereignty claims over the South China Sea resources.

[Traubert]

5 hours ago, holy cow cm said:

Crying about it will not help unless everyone binds together and bloodies the nose of the Chinese devil trying to take all sovereignty rights in the Sea that belongs to everyone. The Chinese government is a full distasteful lying aggressor that always falls back on they are misunderstood. Those days need to come to and end, and unfortunately if it does take a war or huge skirmish to let them know then so be it before they are truly too big and everyone is powerless to do anything.

It was actually the Kuomintang, the later government of Taiwan, that drew the 11 dash line in 1947 and it was ratified by the UN post war after the Japanese were thrown out of Taiwan.

 

Zhou En Lai later struck out two of the dashes to cede the Gulf Of Tonkin to Vietnam, hence the 9 dash line.

 

It was only in the 1960's when oil (who'd have thought it) was potentially found under the SCS, that America (through the Philippines), the UK (through Brunei and Malaysia) and the French (through Vietnam) took any sort of interest at all.

 

It was a stalemate until UNCLOS was adopted in 1994 and then the oil greedy nations started making a din. Its nothing to do with sovereignty, it's all to do with oil.

 

China has never restricted navigation through the SCS, it was declared in the original agreement with the UN.

 

As to the shrieking about militarized islands in the SCS, Vietnam has 37, China has...........5.

 

And the US has no claim on anything in the region.

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, Uptooyoo said:

It's time for the U.S. Navy to sink Chinese fishing boats acting aggressively. They have been co-opted by the Chinese Navy and are operating under their direction. International law does not recognize China's claim on the ocean extending hundreds of miles from their shore. It's time to enforce the law.

Why doesn't the Navy belonging to Asian countries sink Chinese fishing boats acting aggressively.

If they say they are acting in defense of fishermen working within their boundaries they are free to do it!

America isn't the world police. (and I'm not American)

[NanLaew]

2 hours ago, Srikcir said:

Inappropriate.

The U.S. has no sovereignty claims over the South China Sea resources.

Correct, the US doesn't. But the Chinese do.

 

1 hour ago, Traubert said:

...

It was a stalemate until UNCLOS was adopted in 1994 and then the oil greedy nations started making a din. Its nothing to do with sovereignty, it's all to do with oil.

...

There is no oil in the middle of the South China East Sea. All the oil is on the periphery like in the coastal waters of Vietnam, Brunei, Indonesia and Philippines. That's the way oil basins work BTW. The UNCLOS declaration clarified the extents of continental claims beyond traditional territorial sea-surface measurements for a whole host of nations around the world such as Ghana and Cuba.

 

So why does China still want the 'worthless' middle bit?

 

1 hour ago, Traubert said:

China has never restricted navigation through the SCS, it was declared in the original agreement with the UN.

They never restricted navigation in the UN declaration because they had no legal grounds to do so. Then they built artificial islands on barely submerged reefs and subsequently declared otherwise based solely on the existence of these 'islands'.

 

1 hour ago, Traubert said:

As to the shrieking about militarized islands in the SCS, Vietnam has 37, China has...........5.

Vietnam has 37 natural islands with a nominal military presence and a flag on some of the biggest ones. I think the Philippines may have some as well including a sunken, rusted ship or two. Meanwhile, China, who previously had none, now have 5 man-made, heavily fortified and militarized ones with a flag. In the middle of nowhere.

 

1 hour ago, Traubert said:

And the US has no claim on anything in the region.

Correct. The US Navy regularly sails Freedom of Navigation transits through the East Sea. Occasionally (and more frequently) they are joined by Japanese, Indian and Australian Navy vessels. Like the US, Japan, India and Australia have no claims there but they realize that neither do the Chinese.

[Assurancetourix]

5 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

Vietnam probably is the only country to voice their concerns

Right;

was, is and will be ;

Vietnam does not like China and never loved it;
they have been at war for at least two millennia and this one continues sporadically to know who will have the hand on the Paracel islands

[Reigntax]

2 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Why doesn't the Navy belonging to Asian countries sink Chinese fishing boats acting aggressively.

If they say they are acting in defense of fishermen working within their boundaries they are free to do it!

America isn't the world police. (and I'm not American)

Yes, Prayuth can put His new subs into action. Hopefully leading from the front

[natway09]

Here is another example of ASEAN being the toothless tiger & will remein so.

Cambodia for example will never vote to even discuss further as they have sold their soul to them.

Thailand's great leader is about to do the same.

ASEAN is a farce

[connda]

6 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

Vietnam probably is the only country to voice their concerns....Lao, Cambodia, Thailand and the Philipines have all been seduced by money from China....and China' land boundaries continue to grow unchecked.

As the old saying goes, "If ya can't lick 'em, join 'em."

[NanLaew]

1 hour ago, Assurancetourix said:

Right;

was, is and will be ;

Vietnam does not like China and never loved it;
they have been at war for at least two millennia and this one continues sporadically to know who will have the hand on the Paracel islands

But China is Vietnam's biggest trading partner and the hordes of rowdy Chinese package tourists that riled so many in Thailand and now doing the same in Vietnam.

 

8 minutes ago, natway09 said:

Here is another example of ASEAN being the toothless tiger & will remein so.

Cambodia for example will never vote to even discuss further as they have sold their soul to them.

Thailand's great leader is about to do the same.

ASEAN is a farce

A specific part of ASEAN's mandate has always been NOT to meddle in the domestic and political affairs of fellow member nations.

[puipuitom]

6 hours ago, Uptooyoo said:

It's time for the U.S. Navy to sink Chinese fishing boats acting aggressively. They have been co-opted by the Chinese Navy and are operating under their direction. International law does not recognize China's claim on the ocean extending hundreds of miles from their shore. It's time to enforce the law.

And you will sacrifice your son and daughter in a war about that ? 

[puipuitom]

4 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Why doesn't the Navy belonging to Asian countries sink Chinese fishing boats acting aggressively.

If they say they are acting in defense of fishermen working within their boundaries they are free to do it!

Because all ASEAN navies together are a LOT smaller then the Chinese. Duterte of the Philippines already sold their interests to China, and the Thai Military gov. is too afraid one of their ( Chinese origin) toys will be damaged. For Indonesia it is a "too far from my bed" story.

[from the home of CC]

33 minutes ago, puipuitom said:

And you will sacrifice your son and daughter in a war about that ? 

the Chinese would sweat civilian deaths a lot less than most countries, if they wanted the  whole region under their control there's not a damn thing ANYONE could do about it..

[Uptooyoo]

10 hours ago, Srikcir said:

Inappropriate.

The U.S. has no sovereignty claims over the South China Sea resources.

And neither do the Chinese. So who enforces international law then when China thumbs its nose at international rule and resorts to thug tactics. Do you think the Vietnamese or Philippine navies have the resources to stand up to a bully?  

[Uptooyoo]

4 hours ago, from the home of CC said:

the Chinese would sweat civilian deaths a lot less than most countries, if they wanted the  whole region under their control there's not a damn thing ANYONE could do about it..

That's what they said about Germany before the landings at Normandy.

[Uptooyoo]

5 hours ago, puipuitom said:

And you will sacrifice your son and daughter in a war about that ? 

We've done it before. That's why you're not living under the 1000 year Reich.

[DrTuner]

On 6/23/2019 at 10:52 AM, ChrisY1 said:

Vietnam probably is the only country to voice their concerns....Lao, Cambodia, Thailand and the Philipines have all been seduced by money from China....and China' land boundaries continue to grow unchecked.

Sort of ironic that the only country resisting the Chinese empire together with the US is the one that went to war with them. So the times change. Now if Vietnam would get rid of the commies, it would be an interesting place indeed.

[zydeco]

1 hour ago, DrTuner said:

Sort of ironic that the only country resisting the Chinese empire together with the US is the one that went to war with them. So the times change. Now if Vietnam would get rid of the commies, it would be an interesting place indeed.

It's not that times change so much, as governments make hard to understand strategic blunders.  Vietnam had doubts about China all along. The US should have allied with Ho and declared war on the French. How satisfying that would have been!

[ballpoint]

23 hours ago, NanLaew said:

There is no oil in the middle of the South China East Sea. All the oil is on the periphery like in the coastal waters of Vietnam, Brunei, Indonesia and Philippines. That's the way oil basins work BTW. The UNCLOS declaration clarified the extents of continental claims beyond traditional territorial sea-surface measurements for a whole host of nations around the world such as Ghana and Cuba.

 

So why does China still want the 'worthless' middle bit?

China wants the "worthless middle bit" so it can make claim to the oil rich bits on the other side.  Along with the disputed Vietnamese and Philippine fields, China claims all the East Malaysian and Brunei ones, though so far it has made no attempt at blocking exploitation of them by Malaysia and Brunei, however it has successfully blocked Vietnam from lawfully exploring blocks in the Nam Con Son basin because they are "too close to" its claimed boundary.  Last year, this cost Spanish oil company, Repsol, tens of millions of dollars when work was abruptly stopped by the Vietnam government, due to Chinese pressure, as the rig it contracted was about to leave Singapore en-route to begin drilling.

 

"It would be the second time in less than a year that Vietnam has had to suspend a major oil development in the busy South China Sea waterway under pressure from China".

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-southchinasea-vietnam/vietnam-halts-south-china-sea-oil-drilling-project-under-pressure-from-beijing-idUSKBN1GZ0JN

 

Interestingly, Vietnam itself makes claim to much of the East Malaysian, and all of the Brunei fields, but also makes no protest about ongoing activity in that area.

[tonbridgebrit]

On 6/23/2019 at 4:52 AM, ChrisY1 said:

Vietnam probably is the only country to voice their concerns....Lao, Cambodia, Thailand and the Philipines have all been seduced by money from China....and China' land boundaries continue to grow unchecked.

Even Australia, the bastion of democracy (bulls__t), pussy foots about, says very little and does nothing.....well not exactly does nothing...China was gifted the port of Darwin for the next 97 years....all for $500m which has long gone with zero benefit!

Them Vietnamese, they fought a war against France. I reckon they're willing to fight a war against China.
The Vietnamese, these people will never surrender. They'ill just carry on fighting.

[tonbridgebrit]

1 hour ago, zydeco said:

It's not that times change so much, as governments make hard to understand strategic blunders.  Vietnam had doubts about China all along. The US should have allied with Ho and declared war on the French. How satisfying that would have been!

What ?? France is in NATO, France is a US ally. How on earth are American soldiers going to fire their bullets at French soldiers ?

Washington sending soldiers to Vietnam to kill some Vietnamese, the people might accept that. But sending soldiers to Vietnam, to kill French soldiers, surely, that would never have been accepted by the people of America ?

[tonbridgebrit]

On 6/23/2019 at 8:22 AM, hotchilli said:

Why doesn't the Navy belonging to Asian countries sink Chinese fishing boats acting aggressively.

If they say they are acting in defense of fishermen working within their boundaries they are free to do it!

America isn't the world police. (and I'm not American)

Yes, let Vietnam and China have their war. Winner takes the South China Sea.
The important thing is, is that WE don't get involved. Our soldiers are to be used to defend Europe and America. What goes on in Africa, the Middle East, and the Far East, let the locals fight it out amongst themselves.

[Peterbkk99]

I have always wondered why Thailand does not show more solidarity with fellow ASEAN countries Vietnam and the Philippines on the South China Sea issue. 

[tonbridgebrit]

On 6/23/2019 at 8:07 AM, Traubert said:

It was actually the Kuomintang, the later government of Taiwan, that drew the 11 dash line in 1947 and it was ratified by the UN post war after the Japanese were thrown out of Taiwan.

 

Zhou En Lai later struck out two of the dashes to cede the Gulf Of Tonkin to Vietnam, hence the 9 dash line.

 

It was only in the 1960's when oil (who'd have thought it) was potentially found under the SCS, that America (through the Philippines), the UK (through Brunei and Malaysia) and the French (through Vietnam) took any sort of interest at all.

 

It was a stalemate until UNCLOS was adopted in 1994 and then the oil greedy nations started making a din. Its nothing to do with sovereignty, it's all to do with oil.

 

China has never restricted navigation through the SCS, it was declared in the original agreement with the UN.

 

As to the shrieking about militarized islands in the SCS, Vietnam has 37, China has...........5.

 

And the US has no claim on anything in the region.

A brilliant post. The shows the inconsistency of those wanting to fight a war against China.

The Peoples' Republic of China claims the South China Sea, and this is regarded as an absurd claim. But, Republic of China (Taiwan) claims the South China Sea as well, but nobody wants to blast Taiwan.