Beijing’s South China Sea rivals tighten military ties at APEC
The business agenda of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation [APEC] Economic Leaders’ meeting in Manila on Tuesday was overshadowed by moves by the US and its East Asian allies to join forces against China’s expanded territorial claims in the South China Sea. US President Barack Obama offered host nation the Philippines, one of five countries locked in the maritime territorial dispute with China, a used Coastguard Cutter as part of a $250 million military aid package shared with Malaysia, another South China Sea claimant, and Indonesia, which has asked China to clarify its claims. The Philippines will also sign a framework agreement with Japan for military aid on the sidelines of the APEC meeting. The Philippines and Vietnam, another party to the South China Sea dispute, signed a strategic partnership agreement on Tuesday.
What you need to know:
- The APEC Economic Leaders’ meeting is being attended by the presidents or prime ministers of 20 of the 21-member states.
- Officially, the agenda of the APEC Economic Leaders’ meeting will be topped by a policy agreement on inclusive and sustainable development of small and medium enterprises, and innovative reforms to promote the services sector.
- The South China Sea and other political issues will officially be aired on Friday at a separate APEC political summit in Kuala Lumpur, where tensions between China and its rivals are expected to flare.
- Chinese vice foreign minister Liu Zhenmin on Tuesday said Beijing has shown “great restraint” in the South China Sea by not seizing disputed islands administered by other countries. He repeated China’s refusal to talk about the dispute at the APEC Economic Leaders’ meeting, which is being attended by President Xi Jinping. The APEC political summit will be attended by Premier Li Keqiang.
- President Xi is promoting talks on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, a free trade pact that would include ASEAN members, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand, but not the US. That makes it a mirror image of the US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership agreed in October, which excludes China.
The full story:
The Philippines’ Inquirer media group has this report on the US offer of military assistance.
AFP and Reuters have these reports on the Philippines’ security pacts with Vietnam and Japan.
The official China Daily newspaper has this perspective on China’s refusal to focus on territorial disputes at the APEC meetings.
The South China Morning Post newspaper analyses the US-China battle for dominance of Asia-Pacific trade pacts.
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