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Asia’s worries rising over Chinese activity

Beijing stubbornly believes that it can do what it pleases in the area as it enjoys sovereignty

China has caused considerable unease through its recent activities in the South China Sea (SCS), a major international passageway. It claims practically the whole of this maritime zone, thought to be rich in natural resources, including fishing grounds and hydrocarbons, and raises queries about freedom of navigation, according to international laws, for other countries, including India.

Since Beijing claims “sovereignty” over SCS in its entirety, it thought nothing of reclaiming land from the sea and building islands and reefs in the Spratly Island chain, to which Vietnam and the Philippines also lay claim. In short, China’s recent island-building spree is a cause of considerable regional and international concern.

Besides the Spratlys, which the Chinese call Nansha Islands, there are other SCS territorial disputes involving Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan. Mostly these small nations find themselves unable to convey their case to Beijing even as an arguing brief. India routinely faces Chinese displeasure while prospecting for oil in Vietnamese waters as Beijing advances the extraordinary argument that it alone has rights in the SCS.

At the Shangrila security dialogues in Singapore recently, US defence secretary Ashton Carter thought it fit to flag China’s SCS island-building activity and called on Beijing to do nothing that will endanger the freedom of navigation of the open seas in accordance with international law and practice. He followed this up last week with urging that Beijing’s island-building activities must cease rightaway.

The Chinese response to this appeal has been only to say that its work of reclaiming land in the “stationing islands and reefs” in the Spratly Islands will be ended very soon. The meaning is clear enough. Beijing stubbornly believes that it can do what it pleases in the area as it enjoys sovereignty over it.

In effect, it is asking the world to get lost. It displays little sense that its island-building activity can be militarily destabilising. The American concern is answered merely with the assurance that its project has now come to a close.

There can be little doubt that it is only action by a concert of countries that can bring about a reasonable compromise that doesn’t hurt any nation’s interests or territorial claims. The apprehension, voiced by many, is not far-fetched that the recently constructed string of islands is in fulfilment of the Chinese strategic vision of having a “string of pearls” — military bases on islands — in the SCS and western Indian Ocean with which to exert more influence in Southeast Asia, South Asia, and the Gulf. Beijing’s assertion that building the islands will help it fulfil international civilian obligations is not likely to convince the countries of the region, which watch the rise of China with not a little anxiety.

( Source : deccan chronicle )
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