C. Tingson

The neighbouring countries in Asia, Philippines and china had been rivalries for the same ownership and competitor for the same objective. It started last May 5^th, when the Chinese Foreign Ministry claimed that the Philippines had this so called “malicious hyping and provocation.” This issue about the sovereignty of territory was very complex and had caused conflict between the neighbouring countries. There was an allegation from China that the Philippines, including the other nations violated the nonbinding Declaration on the conduct of Parties on the South China Sea that was signed almost thirteen years ago by ASEAN states and China.  China already claimed the possession of the South China Sea which begun in the middle of last year. They started to clear, occupy and even cemented over coral in the Spratly Island extending 4 square kilometres of land. There were many analysts who said that there is a possibility that China would use the land for their military purposes. Their worries arisen that the facilities they were building would serve as an air-defense identification zone of South China Sea.

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The reclamation has been argued by some neighbouring countries of China including Taiwan and other ASEAN members like Brunei, Vietnam and Malaysia. The ASEAN meeting last month held in Kuala Lumpur which was attended by 10 ASEAN members did not come up with solid solution about the reclamation work of China and this issue remained unresolved. The organization was bothered because of the aggressive actions of china which resulted to give favour to Beijing. According to the president of the Philippines, Benigno Aquino whose an opponent of China, the Beijing’s reclamation was said to be “a threat to the freedom of global commerce and navigation.” On the other hand, the U.S.A. which is considered globally superior of freedom of navigation had never been reacted on the South China Sea controversy. Thus, made China to push through their plan of action. Singapore also took part by publicly calling New Delhi to actively respond on the region. The Prime Minister of India has quietly reacted against china and the Modi government recently issued in public the three join statements on freedom of navigation.

Way back 2006, Japan’s former foreign minister proposed an “arc of freedom and prosperity and the concept was not implemented, thinking that the regional diplomats could coordinate with China. Presently, countries are pessimistic which has a negative effect in making other nations to unite. The struggles that they have gone through clearly showed that the large body of water would drown the relationship between the two neighbouring countries of Asia.

Reference:

http://www.worldaffairsjournal.org/blog/gordon-g-chang/china-creates-adversaries-south-china-sea-reclamations