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US draws allies into South China Sea dispute
YUKIO TAJIMA, Nikkei staff writer
June 4, 2015 12:00 am JST
U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter delivers his speech during the Asia Security Summit May 30 in Singapore. © AP
SINGAPORE -- Defense ministers from Japan, the U.S. and Australia expressed grave concerns about China building artificial islands in disputed areas in the South China Sea during an annual international security forum late last month.
In their joint statement, released on May 30, the three Pacific nations' top defense officials urged "all South China Sea claimants to exercise self-restraint, halt reclamation activities, take steps to ease tensions and refrain from provocative actions that could escalate tensions."
This was squarely aimed at China, which is covering reefs and coral atolls to build islets around the Spratly Islands, known as Nansha Qundao in Chinese, and other waters claimed by multiple nations in the South China Sea.
As Beijing builds structures, including a 3,000-meter runway, on the artificial islands, neighboring Philippines and Vietnam are objecting strongly to the construction. With the U.S. increasing patrols of the areas with aircraft and sea vessels, tensions are heating up between Washington and Beijing.
This year's Asia Security Summit was held in Singapore from May 29-31 amid this background. China's reclamation activities were high on everyone's mind.
China's behavior is "out of step with both the international rules and norms," U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said in a speech on May 30. He criticized Beijing and demanded, "There should be an immediate and lasting halt to land reclamation."
Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani also spoke, pointing a finger directly at China for heightening tensions in the region. "I hope and expect all the countries, including China, to behave as a responsible power," he said in his speech.
In a meeting on the sidelines of the conference, Nakatani and Carter were united in their opposition to China's attempts at changing the status quo, clearly sniping at its island-building activities, which disregard all other claims on the territory.
The two, along with Australian Defense Minister Kevin Andrews, also expressed their "serious concern over Chinese land reclamation activities in the South China Sea," according to the joint statement.
Pushback
Japan, the U.S. and Australia are exploring the idea of helping the Philippines and Vietnam to deal with China's activities in the South China Sea.
The two countries lack the personnel and military equipment, such as pilots and patrol aircraft, necessary to monitor the territories properly. These staffing and technology shortcomings are some of the reasons China has been able to build the islands mostly unnoticed, until recently.
Japan, the U.S. and Australia intend to help by training military personnel in the two Southeast Asian nations. The trio also plan to help the Philippines and Vietnam improve their soldiers' skills by inviting some of officials to train in Japan, the U.S. and Australia, as well as promoting military exchanges.
Furthermore, Japan may dispatch its Self-Defense Forces to the troubled sea territory for warning and surveillance activities.
Predictably, Beijing reacted swiftly to Carter's criticism of its reclamation activities.
Adm. Sun Jianguo, deputy chief of general staff of the People's Liberation Army, criticized the U.S. and other countries for provoking China with accusations about its reclamation activities, and suggested that China is being unfairly targeted.
"[The] South China Sea issue has become a hot topic during this dialogue ... but in the world and the Asia-Pacific region, there are many more serious security issues other than the South China Sea," Sun said on May 31.
He also confirmed that China's contentious reclamation work in the South China Sea is for "military and defense needs."
"Along with meeting the necessary military and defense needs, [the construction] is to better China's international responsibilities and obligations regarding maritime search and rescue, disaster prevention and relief, maritime scientific research ... [and] safety of navigation," said the Chinese admiral. He also restated China's official line that the work improves working and living conditions for personnel stationed on the islands.
YUKIO TAJIMA, Nikkei staff writer
June 4, 2015 12:00 am JST
U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter delivers his speech during the Asia Security Summit May 30 in Singapore. © AP
SINGAPORE -- Defense ministers from Japan, the U.S. and Australia expressed grave concerns about China building artificial islands in disputed areas in the South China Sea during an annual international security forum late last month.
In their joint statement, released on May 30, the three Pacific nations' top defense officials urged "all South China Sea claimants to exercise self-restraint, halt reclamation activities, take steps to ease tensions and refrain from provocative actions that could escalate tensions."
This was squarely aimed at China, which is covering reefs and coral atolls to build islets around the Spratly Islands, known as Nansha Qundao in Chinese, and other waters claimed by multiple nations in the South China Sea.
As Beijing builds structures, including a 3,000-meter runway, on the artificial islands, neighboring Philippines and Vietnam are objecting strongly to the construction. With the U.S. increasing patrols of the areas with aircraft and sea vessels, tensions are heating up between Washington and Beijing.
This year's Asia Security Summit was held in Singapore from May 29-31 amid this background. China's reclamation activities were high on everyone's mind.
China's behavior is "out of step with both the international rules and norms," U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said in a speech on May 30. He criticized Beijing and demanded, "There should be an immediate and lasting halt to land reclamation."
Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani also spoke, pointing a finger directly at China for heightening tensions in the region. "I hope and expect all the countries, including China, to behave as a responsible power," he said in his speech.
In a meeting on the sidelines of the conference, Nakatani and Carter were united in their opposition to China's attempts at changing the status quo, clearly sniping at its island-building activities, which disregard all other claims on the territory.
The two, along with Australian Defense Minister Kevin Andrews, also expressed their "serious concern over Chinese land reclamation activities in the South China Sea," according to the joint statement.
Pushback
Japan, the U.S. and Australia are exploring the idea of helping the Philippines and Vietnam to deal with China's activities in the South China Sea.
The two countries lack the personnel and military equipment, such as pilots and patrol aircraft, necessary to monitor the territories properly. These staffing and technology shortcomings are some of the reasons China has been able to build the islands mostly unnoticed, until recently.
Japan, the U.S. and Australia intend to help by training military personnel in the two Southeast Asian nations. The trio also plan to help the Philippines and Vietnam improve their soldiers' skills by inviting some of officials to train in Japan, the U.S. and Australia, as well as promoting military exchanges.
Furthermore, Japan may dispatch its Self-Defense Forces to the troubled sea territory for warning and surveillance activities.
Predictably, Beijing reacted swiftly to Carter's criticism of its reclamation activities.
Adm. Sun Jianguo, deputy chief of general staff of the People's Liberation Army, criticized the U.S. and other countries for provoking China with accusations about its reclamation activities, and suggested that China is being unfairly targeted.
"[The] South China Sea issue has become a hot topic during this dialogue ... but in the world and the Asia-Pacific region, there are many more serious security issues other than the South China Sea," Sun said on May 31.
He also confirmed that China's contentious reclamation work in the South China Sea is for "military and defense needs."
"Along with meeting the necessary military and defense needs, [the construction] is to better China's international responsibilities and obligations regarding maritime search and rescue, disaster prevention and relief, maritime scientific research ... [and] safety of navigation," said the Chinese admiral. He also restated China's official line that the work improves working and living conditions for personnel stationed on the islands.