At the first Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum held in Manila Oct. 3 to 4,
China became the focus of all discussions for its aggressive and sweeping
maritime disputes with four nations in the regional alliance — Brunei,
Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.
As one of eight non-ASEAN members
invited to the forum, China fended off its awkward presence as public pinata by
offering nearly $500 million to the Association of South East Asian Nations in
an attempt to buy some hospitality.
However, highlighting the offer
would draw too much attention to an attempt by Beijing at influence-buying. It
might also ignite a domestic outcry from Chinese at home objecting to the deal
after months of an efficient propaganda machine excoriating “little countries”
in ASEAN for having the nerve to challenge China’s sweeping maritime claims in
the South China Sea.
As a result, news of the aid was
not made public by the Chinese delegates. Instead, it was announced in Manila
by the Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Vinh at the news
conference after the conclusion of the forum.
The $474 million fund promised by
China was given to ASEAN for “maritime cooperation” without the usual specifics
associated with this sort of aid. There was no further explanation as to how
the money will be spent and who will manage the money within the ASEAN.
China is essentially isolated in
its maritime and territorial disputes with many of its neighbors, including
Brunei, India, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam.
A key Chinese strategy is to
prevent all challengers to China’s territorial claims from forming a coalition
against it.
At present, China is deeply
involved in maritime and naval brinksmanship with Japan over the disputed
Senkaku islands, known in China as Diaoyudao, and cannot afford getting
involved in another standoff with some of the more belligerent challengers
within the ASEAN, notably the Philippines and Vietnam.
China’s nightmare with ASEAN is
expected to get worse because within two months, a Vietnamese official, most
likely the senior diplomat Le Luong Minh, will serve as ASEAN secretary-general
for a three-year term.
The top ASEAN job is rotated in
alphabetical order by state. For the past three years, Surin Pitsuwan of
Thailand has been the ASEAN secretary-general. His term expires on Jan. 1.
China dominates summit
Unlike previous meetings, the
latest ASEAN summit also included representatives from eight other countries of
consequence at what was called the Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum. They included
Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, Russia and the United States.
Seizing a rare opportunity of
having all the squabbling regional disputants under one roof to talk about
differences, State Department officials attending the two-day conference
proposed that the expanded forum be held yearly to resolve regional maritime and
territorial disputes.
ASEAN officials enthusiastically
embraced the U.S. proposal.
“The ASEAN member states
recommended that the ASEAN secretariat conduct a study and make recommendations
on the potential institutionalization of the ASEAN Maritime Forum,” said an
official ASEAN statement issued Sunday.
Conflict resolution with China
was the main focus of attention during the session.
“The ASEAN Member States made an
assessment of the current status of regional maritime security and cooperation,
and shared country perspectives on the current prospects and challenges
concerning maritime cooperation,” according to the official statement.
“They emphasized in particular
the respect of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention
on the Law of the Sea, and other ASEAN-initiated documents such as the 1967
Bangkok Declaration, the Bali Concords, the 1976 Treaty of Amity of Cooperation
in Southeast Asia, the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the West
Philippine Sea [South China Sea], and the recent Six-Point Principles on the
West Philippine Sea.”
China steadfastly rejected any
application of international or regional law to its maritime claims in the
South China Sea. Beijing also vehemently objected to any efforts to make the
multiple maritime disputes with China an ASEAN-wide issue, despite the fact
that four of the 10 member states are challenging China’s claims. China prefers
to deal with its challengers one by one.
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