Last
month laid the foundation of an Asian alliance aimed at checking aggressive
Chinese naval incursions into disputed territories in the West Philippine Sea,
referred to by Beijing as the South China Sea, in a David-and-Goliath message
of defiance to Beijing’s hegemonic intentions over the maritime region.
On his return on September 28 from a four-day
Tokyo visit, Aquino claimed he brought home US$1.4 billion in fresh investment
and Japanese support for a multilateral solution to the disputed Spratly
Islands.
The alignment of Japan with four of Asean’s
(Association of Southeast Asian Nations) 10 members—the Philippines, Vietnam,
Malaysia and Brunei—in a concerted action to channel the dispute into a
diplomatic framework of negotiations is clearly more important than the
economic assistance package.
The results from the Tokyo trip followed those
from the United States the week before—a visit that ended with the President
coming home empty-handed in economic benefits.
At the end of the Tokyo visit, the Philippine
leader and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda issued a statement
contradicting China’s position that wants a bilateral solution to conflicting
claims to the Spratly Islands.
The joint communiqu? said, "The two
leaders confirmed that the South China Sea is vital, as it connects the world
and the Asia Pacific region, and that peace and stability therein is of common
interest to the international community."
It emphasized "the need for a rules-based
(approach) for addressing and resolving disputes and promoting
cooperation" in the region. The leaders also "expressed their hope of
the early formulation of a legally binding code of conduct that is consistent
with established international law.”
The two leaders said, "As leaders of
countries sharing lines of communication, they also confirmed that freedom of
navigation, unimpeded commerce, and compliance with established international
law, including the Unclos (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea),
and the peaceful settlement of disputes serve the interests of the two and the
whole region."
Freedom of navigation
Though not a claimant to the Spratly Islands,
Japan came on board to join the Asean claimants, saying vessels that deliver
oil it imports from the Middle East pass through vital sea lanes in the West
Philippine Sea.
The sea is the main corridor for the shipment
of 88 per cent of oil imported by Japan from the Middle East, according to the
Japanese Embassy in Manila.
"Japan is also very concerned about it as
the freedom of navigation of Japanese vessels plying (the area)," said
Philippine Ambassador to Tokyo Manuel Lopez.
Japan’s weight in pushing for multilateral
solutions is significant in that it is the second regional naval power next to
China in the West Philippine Sea. Tensions between China and the Philippines,
Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan over conflicting claims in the region have
escalated over the past few months following increased naval activities in the
area.
The Philippines repeatedly complained this
year of aggressive acts of the Chinese military in the West Philippine Sea,
which is believed to hold vast oil and gas deposits. Manila has accused Beijing
of firing on Filipino fishermen, laying buoys on Philippine islets, and
intimidating oil exploration vessels.
Nucleus of an entente
China claims all of the West Philippine Sea
and insists it has sole rights to all of the area, including islands claimed by
the Philippines.
Japan’s intervention is likely to anger China.
China has called for bilateral negotiations on the disputes, a strategy that
would effectively shut out other countries like the United States and Asean
members.
The Philippines has proposed that Manila and
Tokyo set up a "permanent working group" that would regularly tackle
other Asian maritime concerns—a proposal that has the potential of becoming the
working mechanism of a Japan, Philippines and Vietnam axis—with the two Asean
members acting as the nucleus of an entente, given that Vietnam and the
Philippines have had encounters with Chinese naval intrusions in the West
Philippine Sea and have been building their own naval capability to stand up to
the Chinese Navy that is now projecting its growing might in a display of
gunboat diplomacy.
In August, China launched its first aircraft
carrier which embarked on sea trials "in a potent demonstration of the
growing naval power that is creating pride at home—and concern in the
region."
According to the Guardian newspaper in the
United Kingdom, while China says it will
only ever use naval power for defensive purposes, others say it is
increasingly aggressive in pursuing its claims.
The refitting of the former Soviet aircraft
carrier, Varyag, which China bought from Ukraine in 1998, according to the
Guardian report, "is part of China’s broader naval modernization
program—which includes heavy spending on submarines and the development an
antimissile system—and comes amid growing competition with the US and India,
and a string of maritime disputes with closer neighbors."
Shifting balance of power
The Guardian quotes Hoshihiko Yamada, a
professor at Japan’s Tokai University: "This is showing the whole world
that China’s maritime mobility is expanding drastically. This is showing that
China is in the process of acquiring capability to control the South China Sea,
as well as the East China Sea."
In the past year, "China has seen a
series of territorial spats with Japan over islets in the East China Sea; and
with the Philippines, Vietnam and others over the South China Sea, the location
of essential shipping lanes and
important resources. These disputes are complicated by underlying competition
with the US and India."
According
to Dr. Ian Storey of the Institution of Asian Studies Singapore, as
reported by the Guardian, “by itself, the ship (the aircraft carrier) does not erode the credibility of America’s
military presence in the region nor greatly increase China’s power projection
capabilities. Nevertheless, the vessel is a potent symbol of China’s
aspirations to become a global maritime power and is yet another indication
that military balance of power is gradually shifting in China’s favour.”
Aquino is trying his hands in balance of power
diplomacy over the Spratlys. Does he have the mind and the world view to handle
the challenge?
Amando Doronila
Philippine Daily Inquirer
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