South China Sea Forum

[GS Zhou]

China and Cambodia agrees to enhance the cooperation on sea technology. According to a newly-signed agreement between two sides, China will build ocean observation station in Cambodia. The new facility built in Cambodia will help both sides to strengthen the capabilities of wave and weather forecasts in the region.

中柬海洋合作为两国关系发展增添新成果

来源：国家海洋局 发布时间：2017-05-16 [打印本页] [关闭窗口]
5月16日，在国务院总理李克强与柬埔寨首相洪森见证下，国家海洋局局长王宏与柬埔寨外交与国际合作部部长布拉索昆共同签署了《中国国家海洋局与柬埔寨王国环境部关于建立中柬联合海洋观测站的议定书》（简称《议定书》），并纳入《“一带一路”国际合作高峰论坛成果清单》。

根据《议定书》，双方将在柬埔寨共建联合海洋观测站，进行海洋观测、监测和预报，推进海洋在气候变化及其适应中的作用等研究活动，开展海岸带与海洋综合管理、海洋环境、海洋生态系统保护等相关工作，进一步加强两国在海洋观测领域的合作，提升海岸带与海洋综合管理能力，推进海岸带与海洋环境和生态系统保护，促进海岸带与海洋资源的可持续利用领域的相互学习和借鉴。

2012年，国家海洋局局领导首次率团访问柬埔寨环境部，此后双方在海洋领域人才培养及能力建设等方面开展了交流与合作。2016年10月，双方签署了《中国国家海洋局与柬埔寨王国环境部关于海洋领域合作的谅解备忘录》，并于当年，11月3日在厦门召开了中柬海洋领域合作联委会第一次会议，就多项具体合作事项达成共识。2016年12月，“向阳红01号”科考船实施了首次中柬联合科考调查，开展了物理海洋与气象、海洋生物等学科的多要素观测，为柬埔寨科学家进行了海水样品采集、样品现场分析及处理等培训工作。此外，双方还在金边联合举办了第四届中国-东南亚国家海洋合作论坛,来自中国和东盟国家的海洋主管部门官员、海洋科学机构的专家、以及有关国际和地区组织的代表就海洋相关领域的合作进行了深入交流。

未来，双方将进一步深化海洋领域务实合作，携手制定和实施包括联合海洋观测站在内的能力建设项目，共同提高海洋管理、资源开发和科学研究的水平，升级基础设施，使海洋合作成为推动中柬双边关系发展的新动力。

 

[sinait]

it is not as easy as you thought.
Look: PCA is older than UN, established on Haugue Convention of 1899, signed by 121 nations including China. yes, China is a member of the Haugue Convention, hence committed to PCA. the ruling of PCA is accepted by G7, the most powerful club on the planet. that matters. UN or not does not matter. so either you quit the convention, including UNCLOS, or you are free to found your own convention, your own court, your own money, but the problem is your ruling will be only accepted by China politbuero. nobody else.
in short, China 9-dash claim is worthless and dumped. questions?

Very despicable of GMA News to keep on repeating lies when the UN had clearly clarified 10
mths ago that it has nothing to do with the PCA and that Kangaroo Unilateral Arbitral
Tribunal constituted by a Nationalist Japanese judge.
There would be no issue if it is simply reported as a PCA arranged Unilateral Arbitral Tribunal.

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/141125/arbitral-court-not-a-un-agency
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/dipl...ed-nations-stresses-separation-hague-tribunal
http://www.icj-cij.org/homepage/

 

[terranMarine]

More progress, good. Add more military assets there and keep on building.

 

[TaiShang]

it is not as easy as you thought.

Look: PCA is older than UN, established on Haugue Convention of 1899, signed by 121 nations including China. yes, China is a member of the Haugue Convention, hence committed to PCA. the ruling of PCA is accepted by G7, the most powerful club on the planet. that matters. UN or not does not matter. so either you quit the convention, including UNCLOS, or you are free to found your own convention, your own court, your own money, but the problem is your ruling will be only accepted by China politbuero. nobody else.

in short, China 9-dash claim is worthless and dumped. questions?

You have copied and pasted PCA website. But this does not change the fact that it is not even a court, but a dispute resolution mechanism with no sanctioning powers.

Quit or not does not matter. G7, or G77 does not matter, as well.

The job of the PCA is to arbitrate between at least "two" parties agreeing to seek dispute resolution. It is a company.

***

China has installed rocket launchers on a disputed reef in the South China Sea

Problem is, the area is not disputed. It is owned.

***

China, ASEAN countries agree on COC framework
Xinhua, May 19, 2017

Senior officials from China and ASEAN countries attend the 14th senior officials' meeting on the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) in Guiyang, southwest China's Guizhou Province, May 18, 2017. (Xinhua/Liu Xu)


Senior officials from China and ASEAN countries Thursday agreed on a framework for the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea.

The consensus came during the 14th senior officials' meeting on the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties in the South China Sea (DOC).

The meeting, co-chaired by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin and Singapore's Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs Chee Wee Kiong, was held ahead of the upcoming China-ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting in July.

The approval of the framework was reached earlier than scheduled, Liu told the press after the meeting, adding that according to the work plan, China and ASEAN countries were expected to finish consultation on the draft framework for the COC by the first half of this year.

The framework, which represents a crucial phased result in the entire COC negotiation process, has laid a solid foundation for further negotiations, Liu stressed.

Liu said all parties have vowed to continue to constructively advance the negotiations toward the early conclusion of the COC.

During the meeting, all parties also agreed to continue to implement the DOC and reaffirmed plans to solve disputes via negotiation, manage differences with a regional framework of regulations, deepen maritime cooperation, and move forward COC negotiation to safeguard peace and stability of the region.

The meeting approved a paper on the establishment of three technological committees, agreed on outcomes of the trial application of the China-ASEAN senior diplomats' hotline platform, and updated the 2016-2018 work plan.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of the signing of the DOC. All parties pledged to implement the DOC to build a South China Sea environment of peace, friendship and cooperation.

Prior to the meeting, the 21st Joint Working Group meeting on the Implementation of the DOC was held.

 

[Viet]

You have copied and pasted PCA website. But this does not change the fact that it is not even a court, but a dispute resolution mechanism with no sanctioning powers.

Quit or not does not matter. G7, or G77 does not matter, as well.

The job of the PCA is to arbitrate between at least "two" parties agreeing to seek dispute resolution. It is a company.

***
.

proof I copied and pasted PCA website!

China signs the Haugue convention, but does not respect it. China signs UNCLOS, but does not respect it, either. the people outside China laugh at your logic, signing to international treaties but rejecting to follow the rules, citing ancient texts and hear-saying dating back thousand years ago nobody can check.

 

[TaiShang]

proof I copied and pasted PCA website!

China signs the Haugue convention, but does not respect it. China signs UNCLOS, but does not respect it, either. the people outside China laugh at your logic, signing to international treaties but rejecting to follow the rules, citing ancient texts and hear-saying dating back thousand years ago nobody can check.

This is a long, exhausting debate which we have gone over numerous times.

In any case, the Kangaroo Court is not really a court. So, the so-called judges/arbitrator are officially called 'members.'

PCA is a private entity based on willing-buyer, willing-seller. It is not a court. It is what the two or more sides make it to be.

In PH Case, China rendered it an expensive Kangaroo Court. That's all.

China does not have to join in all business transactions just because it does business with everybody.

 

[terranMarine]

proof I copied and pasted PCA website!

China signs the Haugue convention, but does not respect it. China signs UNCLOS, but does not respect it, either. the people outside China laugh at your logic, signing to international treaties but rejecting to follow the rules, citing ancient texts and hear-saying dating back thousand years ago nobody can check.

You have also said the world stands with PH and VN. Well 70+ countries picked China's side and i have provided the list so again now you claim the world is laughing at China's logic you got proof? I know the world did laugh at America when Bush said US will invade the International Court in the Hague if a single US soldier would be prosecuted for war crimes in Iraq.

 

[Viet]

You have also said the world stands with PH and VN. Well 70+ countries picked China's side and i have provided the list so again now you claim the world is laughing at China's logic you got proof? I know the world did laugh at America when Bush said US will invade the International Court in the Hague if a single US soldier would be prosecuted for war crimes in Iraq.

Of course the world stands with Vietnam and the other people nations who have a little brain. The 70+ countries say they support peaceful solution, don't back your claim "the sea is mine because my Han grand uncle was there".

This is a long, exhausting debate which we have gone over numerous times.

In any case, the Kangaroo Court is not really a court. So, the so-called judges/arbitrator are officially called 'members.'

PCA is a private entity based on willing-buyer, willing-seller. It is not a court. It is what the two or more sides make it to be.

In PH Case, China rendered it an expensive Kangaroo Court. That's all.

China does not have to join in all business transactions just because it does business with everybody.

What the government of China says is irrelevant. PCA issues a statement saying your 9-dash line is worthless. It is as rediculous as if Italy claims large part of Germany because ancient italian merchants were here.

The people will begin to ask your mental condition.

 

[Suika]

You have also said the world stands with PH and VN. Well 70+ countries picked China's side and i have provided the list so again now you claim the world is laughing at China's logic you got proof? I know the world did laugh at America when Bush said US will invade the International Court in the Hague if a single US soldier would be prosecuted for war crimes in Iraq.

This picture yeah

Out of the countries colored in red, which ones can militarily support China in the SCS? Interesting to see India as red too. But obviously, given the way many Chinese posters here bash the Indian posters, its a safe bet that India in red on the map means nothing. And India's defense relations with Vietnam have reached very high strategic levels. All those African and Middle East countries just want Chinese money, as do a number of other countries throughout. So after crossing off from the list, the countries that only did lip service for other reasons and don't meaningfully support, the list becomes much shorter. No economically powerful country supported China, no one from the G7. Consider the kangaroo court case as an early warning to the geopolitical confrontation that lays ahead by continuing this path, not an invitation to keep pressing.

 

[Banglar Bir]

While the U.S. Is Distracted, Beijing Is Winning the Battle to Control the South China Sea
Charlie Campbell / Beijing
May 19, 2017
South China Sea? The Chinese do. Americans seem preoccupied, though, with Russia's social media war on the U.S., and North Korea’s nuclear program. These, combined with huge gaps in the Trump administration’s foreign policy team, may be handing Beijing almost complete control of the South China Sea. So have deft Chinese diplomacy and a pro-Beijing change of guard in former bitter rival, the Philippines.

On Thursday, China and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) agreed a framework for a code of conduct that will apply to the disputed waterway in the latest sign of waning U.S. influence. Almost a third of the world’s trade, worth $5 trillion annually, passes through the South China Sea, which Beijing claims in its entirety and the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Vietnam and Taiwan do in part.
Having stalled on code of conduct for over a decade, China, perhaps seeing a decisive tip in its favor, is now pushing to see a draft by a provisional deadline of August. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin even gave a not-so-subtle message for the U.S. to stay out of it: "We hope that our consultations on the code are not subject to any outside interference,” he said on Thursday.

“The leadership in Beijing must think that its won the lottery,” says Professor Nick Bisley, an Asia specialist at Australia’s La Trobe University. “It signals that ASEAN is prepared to bend on certain issues, which must be favorable to Beijing."

A code of conduct was first proposed in 2000. In the interim, China has angered rival claimants by seizing, expanding and militarizing islets and reefs in the South China Sea — transforming low-tide outcroppings into what have been dubbed “unsinkable aircraft carriers,” all in apparent violation of the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea.

In response, the Obama Administration ramped up naval Freedom of Navigation Operations through the area. However, despite U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson telling his confirmation hearings that the patrols should be maintained, and China would “not be allowed” to visit those islands it had already built, not one such patrol has taken place under President Donald Trump. (According to the New York Times, three requested operations did not receive approval.)

The speculation is that either Trump has taken his eye off the ball, or is deliberating not pursuing the South China Sea in exchange for China's cooperation on other issues — most likely trade and pressuring North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un over his nuclear weapons program.

“President Trump’s reluctance to confront China over the South China Sea is, in part, a product of his failure to appoint senior officials to the State and Defense Departments, writes Carlyle Thayer, emeritus professor at the Australian Defence Force Academy, in a briefing paper. “As a result, the Trump Administration has a myopic strategic view rather than a comprehensive strategic view.”

The election of President Rodrigo Duterte in the Philippines has meanwhile been a great boon to China’s claims. The former president, Benigno Aquino took Beijing to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague over China's 2012 occupation of the disputed Scarborough Shoal, which lies less than 200 nautical miles from Manila. He obtained a favorable ruling on behalf of the Philippines, which Duterte has astonishingly set aside, instead offering to solve the issue bilaterally.

On Friday, Manila and Beijing held direct talks on the South China Sea issue for the first time. Duterte has shamelessly tried to cadge financial assistance from China with the hope of building a railway across the archipelago nation’s main islands of Luzon and Mindanao.

"If the Philippines cuts a deal, especially with a White House that looks like it doesn’t care about this issue, then the other claimants’ incentive structure changes," adds Bisley. "We may well see a scaling back of ambition and they might start saying, ‘what can we get now?’ Because the longer this goes on the worse this is going to be.”

It’s likely that a bilateral agreement will be reached in exchange for Chinese financial assistance and a guarantee not to militarize the Scarborough Shoal. But any deal undercuts the efforts of other claimants to internationalize the dispute and force through a stricter code of conduct. Compounding issues, the Philippines, under Duterte, is currently ASEAN chair.

That has already paid China dividends. On April 30, a statement at the conclusion of the 30th ASEAN Summit in Manila pointedly dropped references to "land reclamation and militarization" in the South China Sea that had previously been included. A watered down code of conduct that effectively hands Beijing dominion over the South China Sea may be the next step.

Adds Thayer: “The reality is that ASEAN is gradually accepting that the South China Sea has become China’s lake.”

http://time.com/4785577/south-china-sea-us-china-control/

 

[Satria Manggala]

Duterte says China's Xi threatened war if Philippines drills for oil

Chinese President Xi Jinping shakes hands with Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte in Beijing.

REUTERS/Etienne Oliveau/Pool
By Manuel Mogato | MANILA
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Friday Chinese counterpart China Xi Jinping had warned him there would be war if Manila tried to enforce an arbitration ruling and drill for oil in a disputed part of the South China Sea.

In remarks that could infuriate China, Duterte hit back at domestic critics who said he has gone soft on Beijing by refusing to push it to comply with an award last year by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, which ruled largely in favor of the Philippines.

Duterte said he discussed it with Xi when the two met in Beijing on Monday, and got a firm, but friendly warning.

"We intend to drill oil there, if it's yours, well, that's your view, but my view is, I can drill the oil, if there is some inside the bowels of the earth because it is ours," Duterte said in a speech, recalling his conversation with Xi.

"His response to me, 'we're friends, we don't want to quarrel with you, we want to maintain the presence of warm relationship, but if you force the issue, we'll go to war."

Duterte has long expressed his admiration for Xi and said he would raise the arbitration ruling with him eventually, but needed first to strengthen relations between the two countries, which the Philippines is hoping will yield billions of dollars in Chinese loans and infrastructure investments.

The Hague award clarifies Philippine sovereign rights in its 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone to access offshore oil and gas fields, including the Reed Bank, 85 nautical miles off its coast.

It also invalidated China's nine-dash line claim on its maps denoting sovereignty over most of the South China Sea.

Duterte has a reputation for his candid, at times incendiary, remarks and his office typically backpeddles on his behalf and blames the media for distorting his most controversial comments.

Duterte recalled the same story about his discussion with Xi on oil exploration in a recorded television show aired moments after the speech.

He said Xi told him "do not touch it".

He said Xi had promised that the arbitration ruling would be discussed in future, but not now.


Duterte said China did not want to bring up the arbitral ruling at a time when other claimant countries, like Vietnam, might also decide to file cases against it at the arbitration tribunal.

It was not the first time the firebrand leader has publicly discussed the content of private meetings with other world leaders.

His remarks came the same day that China and the Philippines held their first session in a two-way consultation process on the South China Sea.

They exchanged views on "the importance of appropriately handling concerns, incidents and disputes involving the South China Sea", the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement that gave few details.

(Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in Beijing; Editing by Martin Petty)

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-southchinasea-philippines-china-idUSKCN18F1DJ

 

[Jammer]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=768540143344344

 

[TaiShang]

Of course the world stands with Vietnam and the other people nations who have a little brain. The 70+ countries say they support peaceful solution, don't back your claim "the sea is mine because my Han grand uncle was there".


What the government of China says is irrelevant. PCA issues a statement saying your 9-dash line is worthless. It is as rediculous as if Italy claims large part of Germany because ancient italian merchants were here.

The people will begin to ask your mental condition.

In fact, what the private arbitrators, or members, say is irrelevant. The irrelevancy has been proven tens of times. China did not pay them, hence, the private court spoke the where their mouth was.

China does not feed all mouths. Only those that matter.

Who was going to stop China's island Genesis programs? Martians?

 

[UMNOPutra]

Woow ....What will happen with PRC if PH win the war ....
-----
Duterte says China's Xi threatened war if Philippines drills for oil

MANILA: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Friday (May 19) Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping had warned him there would be war if Manila tried to enforce an arbitration ruling and drill for oil in a disputed part of the South China Sea.

In remarks that could infuriate China, Duterte hit back at domestic critics who said he has gone soft on Beijing by refusing to push it to comply with an award last year by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, which ruled largely in favor of the Philippines.

Duterte said he discussed it with Xi when the two met in Beijing on Monday, and got a firm, but friendly warning.
"We intend to drill oil there, if it's yours, well, that's your view, but my view is, I can drill the oil, if there is some inside the bowels of the earth because it is ours," Duterte said in a speech, recalling his conversation with Xi.

"His response to me, 'we're friends, we don't want to quarrel with you, we want to maintain the presence of warm relationship, but if you force the issue, we'll go to war."

Duterte has long expressed his admiration for Xi and said he would raise the arbitration ruling with him eventually, but needed first to strengthen relations between the two countries, which the Philippines is hoping will yield billions of dollars in Chinese loans and infrastructure investments.

The Hague award clarifies Philippine sovereign rights in its 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone to access offshore oil and gas fields, including the Reed Bank, 85 nautical miles off its coast.

It also invalidated China's nine-dash line claim on its maps denoting sovereignty over most of the South China Sea.

Duterte has a reputation for his candid, at times incendiary, remarks and his office typically backpeddles on his behalf and blames the media for distorting his most controversial comments.

Duterte recalled the same story about his discussion with Xi on oil exploration in a recorded television show aired moments after the speech.

He said Xi told him "do not touch it".

He said Xi had promised that the arbitration ruling would be discussed in future, but not now.

Duterte said China did not want to bring up the arbitral ruling at a time when other claimant countries, like Vietnam, might also decide to file cases against it at the arbitration tribunal.

It was not the first time the firebrand leader has publicly discussed the content of private meetings with other world leaders.

His remarks came the same day that China and the Philippines held their first session in a two-way consultation process on the South China Sea.

They exchanged views on "the importance of appropriately handling concerns, incidents and disputes involving the South China Sea", the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement that gave few details.

Source: Reuters/mn
Read more at http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapa...lls-for-8865896

 

[TaiShang]

Beijing, Manila start series of S. China Sea talks
By LI XIAOKUN | China Daily | Updated: 2017-05-20

China and the Philippines on Friday vowed to seek ways acceptable to both sides to solve issues related to the South China Sea in their first direct meeting on the topic.

Vice-Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin and Philippine Ambassador to China Jose Santiago Santa Romana led their delegations to the meeting of the China-Philippines Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea. The event was held in Guiyang, capital of Guizhou province.

A joint news release issued after the meeting said the mechanism should be "a platform for confidence-building measures and for promoting maritime cooperation and maritime security".

It will comprise officials from their foreign ministries and relevant maritime affairs agencies, and will meet alternately in China and the Philippines once every six months.

The meeting on Friday also discussed issues including promotion of next-step practical maritime cooperation and the possibility of setting up technical working groups.

Zhang Xuegang, a Southeast Asian studies expert at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said the consultation is crucial in ensuring proper handling of the South China Sea issue. It also "provides a model to neighbors with territorial disputes", Zhang said.

The meeting was four days after President Xi Jinping and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte reaffirmed they would solve the South China Sea issue through dialogue and negotiations on Monday when Duterte attended the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing.

Beijing's relations with Manila made a U-turn after Duterte assumed office in June 2016. He visited China in October, his first foreign visit beyond ASEAN. Both sides have agreed to separate the territorial dispute from talks on developing bilateral cooperation and to handle it on another track.

Duterte indicated that under his China policy, contentious issues will be discussed one by one with the use of "quiet diplomacy".

Liu said on Thursday that Beijing speaks highly of Duterte's friendly stance, calling it "a beautiful turnaround" after five years of difficult relations.

He made the remarks at a news conference after a meeting of senior officials from China and ASEAN member countries. The meeting approved a draft framework of the South China Sea Code of Conduct, marking a milestone in peacefully resolving the South China Sea issue.

Also on Friday, the 23rd China-ASEAN Senior Officials' Consultation was held at the same venue.