The South China Sea is at a Tipping Point Tran Cong Truc Sunday, 13 March 2016

The South China Sea is at a Tipping Point

Tran Cong Truc

 

Sunday, 13 March 2016

 

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Right on the threshold of the US-ASEAN Leaders’ Summit in Sunnylands on February 15 and 16, where US President Barack Obama raised concerns about China flouting international law and its military activities, China deployed HQ-9 missiles on Woody Island.
 

That threatening behavior was officially condemned by Vietnam and the United States. Vietnam sent a diplomatic note to protest against China’s violation of Vietnam’s sovereignty. At the same time it proposed that the United Nations circulate the diplomatic note among diplomatic missions at its agencies.
 

On February 23, Reuters carried a story saying that recent satellite images showed that China may be installing a high-frequency radar system in Cuarteron Reef, one of the seven entities in the Spratly archipelago that were illegally occupied by China in 1988 and 1995. Two radar towers may have been built by China in the northern and southern portions of Cuarteron Reef.
 

High-frequency radar installations would enable China to bolster its ability to monitor air and marine traffic and activities from the Malacca Strait to the South China Sea. Similar radar systems, together with helicopter pads and gun emplacements, may have been installed on Gaven Reef, Hughes Reef and Johnson South Reef.
 

The information came a day before Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in the US. Meanwhile, the Chinese People’s Daily was equivocal about the possibility of its country’s deployment of four SU-35s, the first batch purchased from Russia, to “patrol the South China Sea”.
 

Before this action, we in Vietnam couldn’t do anything but voice our strong and clear opposition through the highest diplomatic channels. Vietnam should send a diplomatic note to the UN requesting it to intervene and take tough measures against China.
 

It’s time for the UN to join in protecting its charter and international law in the South China Sea. The UN Charter and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS) have never been brazenly challenged and trampled on as China has done in the South China Sea, regardless of protests from concerned parties.
 

Even international tribunals like the one established under UNCLOS 1982’s appendix VII, which is processing the Philippines’ lawsuit against China in the East Sea, are being disrespected and opposed by China.
 

If we let China continue taking aggressive action in the South China Sea that threatens other countries and disregards international law built to protect peace worldwide, it is likely that Beijing will throw basic principles and universal values of humankind, as well as the UN Charter, into the rubbish bin.
 

It’s time for concerned parties like Vietnam, the US, the Philippines and Japan to raise their voices at UN forums to deter the destructive consequences of escalating tensions in the East Sea and protect laws and justice, especially concerning the UN court that is handling the Philippines’ lawsuit against China in the East Sea.
 

I believe that the Barack Obama administration would consider taking the South China Sea issue to the UN Security Council and other forums. Justice and public opinion are as important and efficient as the weapons China has positioned in the East Sea, but the remaining issues should have unanimity, unity and involve joint action.
 

Vietnam should step up communication campaigns in and beyond its borders to help the public grasp a thorough understanding of China’s militarizing operations in the East Sea. It should point out that these actions violate international law and threaten security, peace and marine and air freedom in the South China Sea.
 

Vietnam needs to reinforce cooperation and push ASEAN member countries to implement measures to build trust. It should deliver initiatives to maintain the status quo, hinder conflicts and maintain peace, stability and aviation and maritime freedom in the South China Sea.
 

Vietnam also needs to rally the nation’s strength for the protection of the country’s sea and island sovereignty, along with reinforcing its defenses, boosting the defensive capacity of its forces and increasing the legal fight through diplomatic channels and proper international arbitrators to protect its legitimate sovereignty and interests in the South China Sea against China’s unilateral actions infringing its national interests and sovereignty in the waters.
 

These are strategic and decisive solutions.

Dr. Tran Cong Truc is the former chief of the border committee of Vietnam.