Defensive

MILITARY superpower China is not afraid to flex its muscles as it once again asserted sovereignty over its reclaimed islands in the South China Sea. It warned any country against taking “risky and provocative action” by attempting to come within 12 nautical miles of the islands.
“We ask relevant parties to speak and act discreetly, respect China’s sovereignty and security interests, and do not make any provocative moves,” Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Hua Chunying said.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent this stern warning following a planned deployment of US Navy ships in territorial waters claimed by China.
Earlier, the US Pacific Command (USPACOM) presented the White House and Pentagon leaders the option to conduct a freedom of navigation exercises off of the disputed territory. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said that the US would, “fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows, as US forces do all over the world.”
The Philippines welcomed this development and echoed the clamor for freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea.
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesperson Charles Jose said that if the US “decides to send naval vessels within 12 nautical miles of the reclaimed low-tide elevation features in affirmation of this objective, this would be consistent with international law and a rules-based order for the region.”
China and the Philippines have competing claims to some parts of the South China Sea. China claims the largest swathe of the strategic water, which is believed to have significant oil and gas deposits. It has continuously rejected other nations’ claim (including Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei) on the strategic waters.
Citing peaceful resolution on the jurisdiction over the disputed waters, the Philippines has pleaded its case to the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (ITLOS). It is now awaiting results of the preliminary hearings over the Philippine claim. The ITLOS is an intergovernmental organization created through the directive of the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea and established by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), signed at Montego Bay, Jamaica, on Dec. 10, 1982.
Ironically, China is a signatory of the UN charter, which is governed by the rules and principles of general international law. Under the UNCLOS, all parties have agreed to “due regard for the sovereignty of all States, a legal order for the seas and oceans which will facilitate international communication, and will promote the peaceful uses of the seas and oceans, the equitable and efficient utilization of their resources, the conservation of their living resources, and the study, protection and preservation of the marine environment.”
To ensure the general peace and to obviate the recourse to force, all parties involved should be reminded of their adherence to international law. In international conflicts such as the South China Sea dispute, multilateralism should be the detente before affected parties turn to belligerent forces. The principles representing international law are simple, they are based upon universally accepted values and moral standards to achieve global peace and order. (AJPress)