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"."The contrast between China's reaction to the two incidents has been stark, says Duowei. Regarding the conflict with Vietnam, China has been low-key and made conciliatory gestures, with Chinese censors deleting domestic news reports and avoiding mentioning that there was any "ramming" involved.
"Against the Philippines, on the other hand, China has taken a much more hardline approach.
"The two contrasting approaches indicates careful strategic planning by China, Duowei says, and shows that Xi Jinping is not panicking over ongoing territorial disputes in the South China Sea.
Against Vietnam, China has no need to take an aggressive stance because it knows it holds the upper hand, according to Duowei.
With the Philippines, however, China has never wavered in its uncompromising stance. Its close ties with the US, including the signing of a new military agreement, has made China wary, while repeated run-ins over the Spratlys and previous arrests of Chinese fishermen has kept tensions high."
Beijing adopts contrasting approaches in South China Sea spats
A Chinese oil rig in the disputed waters off the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea. (Internet photo)
China is adopting very different approaches to disputes with Vietnam and the Philippines in the contested South China Sea, reports Duowei News, an outlet run by overseas Chinese.
On May 4, Chinese and Vietnamese naval ships engaged in a tense standoff near a Chinese oil rig in disputed waters off the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea. Both countries accused the other of ramming their boats, with China also utilizing water cannons, though neither side denied the use of "force."
Meanwhile, on May 10, the Philippines announced that it had imprisoned 11 Chinese fishermen since May 6 after they were caught with endangered sea turtles near the waters of the disputed Spratly Islands, also in the South China Sea.
The two incidents come less than a fortnight after a high-profile visit to the region by US president Barack Obama, who emphasized strengthening ties with Asian allies.
The contrast between China's reaction to the two incidents has been stark, says Duowei. Regarding the conflict with Vietnam, China has been low-key and made conciliatory gestures, with Chinese censors deleting domestic news reports and avoiding mentioning that there was any "ramming" involved. While Chinese state councilor Yan Jiechi contacted the Vietnamese foreign ministry on the afternoon of May 6 to discuss the incident, China did not officially report on the call until May 9 in the Communist Party mouthpiece People's Daily.
China's obligatory press conference following the incident was also relatively dialed down, attended only by the deputy director-general of the department of boundary and ocean affairs and representatives of Chinese oil exploration companies.
Against the Philippines, on the other hand, China has taken a much more hardline approach, with both the foreign ministry and the Chinese embassy in Manila making immediate responses condemning the arrests and calling on the Philippines to provide an official explanation. On May 9, the People's Daily also slammed the Philippines, saying nobody is interested in its boring "show of force."
The two contrasting approaches indicates careful strategic planning by China, Duowei says, and shows that Xi Jinping is not panicking over ongoing territorial disputes in the South China Sea.
Against Vietnam, China has no need to take an aggressive stance because it knows it holds the upper hand, according to Duowei. Since 2004, China has been Vietnam's largest trade partner for nine consecutive years, and Vietnam's reliance on China's economy means its hands are effectively tied in terms of how much it can protest in territorial disputes.
With the Philippines, however, China has never wavered in its uncompromising stance. Its close ties with the US, including the signing of a new military agreement, has made China wary, while repeated run-ins over the Spratlys and previous arrests of Chinese fishermen has kept tensions high.
Duowei conceded that China has been the primary aggressor in the South China Sea in terms of fortifying its sovereignty claims. This is because China knows that the region is an important strategic location that is crucial to its military and also contains important natural resources for both its energy and fishing industries, Duowei added.
Six countries — Taiwan, China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei — claim in whole or part to the South China Sea and its island chains and shoals.
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