Tensions in South China Sea mounting over Chinese oil rigs (1)

Vietnam and Philippines directly involved, ASEAN countries cautious
Amid physical clashes, calls for peaceful resolution rising

An “inescapable” maritime dispute between China vis-a-vis Vietnam and the Philippines flared up in the South China Sea over China’s recent setting up of oil rigs, leading to China’s firing of water cannons and Vietnam’s appeal for patriotism movement. The stocks in the Vietnamese markets fell, reflecting in part instability of the region.

The ASEAN summit first held in Myanmar over the weekend has issued a statement appealing for peaceful resolution of the conflict and the head of the United Nations also urged one. However, it really remains to be seen whether this clash could be solved peacefully, given that China has started its assertiveness in this Asian region.

In the spat over the maritime sovereignty, the Philippines is also embroiled by arresting Chinese fishermen on charges of fishing in the “Filipino” waters. In the past, the Vietnamese fought two naval skirmishes against the Chinese since 1974, and this conflict over maritime sovereignty has deep historical roots, going as far back as 1000 years.

In this Sunday, May 4, 2014 image made from video released by Vietnam Coast Guard, a Chinese coast guard vessel, right, fires water cannon at a Vietnamese vessel off the coast of Vietnam. China insisted Thursday, May 8, 2014 it had every right to drill for oil off Vietnam's coast and warned its neighbor to leave the area around the deep-sea rig where Chinese and Vietnamese ships are engaged in a tense standoff. With the ships jostling each other since China deployed the rig last weekend in disputed South China Sea waters, the United States warned both sides to de-escalate tensions and urged China to clarify its claims to the territory.(Photo : AP/NEWSis)

Chinese ramming Vietnamese ships to “protect own oil rig”

The standoff started May 1, when China moved deep sea oil rigs into waters close to the Paracel Islands(Hoangsha, Xisha) in what most analysts believe was an especially assertive move to help cement its claims of sovereignty over the area. Vietnam, which says the islands belong to it, dispatched its ships immediately. Even fighter planes were flown over the region.

On May 7, Vietnam said Chinese vessels had repeatedly rammed and fired water cannons at its ships, damaging several of them, and showed video footage of the incidents. China argues it is doing nothing wrong, and said it will continue with its drilling activities in the area.

China has been increasingly pressing its claims in the South China Sea, which it claims to be theirs almost in its entirety. This brought it into conflict with Vietnam and the Philippines, which also claims parts of the water, as do Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan. The United States’ position is that it doesn’t take sides in the dispute, but it too shares regional concerns about China’s growing clout. it has criticized Beijing’s latest move as “provocative.”

Myanmar's President Thein Sein delivers opening statement of Association of Southeast Asian Nations leaders Summit in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Sunday, May 11 2014. Concerns over China's aggressive behavior in the South China Sea were a key topic Sunday in the first regional summit hosted by Myanmar, which is hoping to demonstrate the progress it's made since emerging from a half-century of brutal military rule.(Photo : AP/NEWSis)

ASEAN leaders cautious over maritime dispute

Amid the growing row between China versus Vietnam and the Philippines, Southeast Asian leaders expressed “serious concerns” over territorial disputes in the South China Sea. The 10-member ASEAN leaders issued a statement on May 11, after concluding its summit, reading “We expressed serious concerns over the ongoing developments in the South China Sea.”

The statement called on all parties involved to exercise self-restraint, not to resort to threats or use of force, and to resolve disputes by peaceful means in accordance with universally recognized principles of international law.

The statement marks a change of tone and it is a rare level of consensus on the vexed sea rights issue. However, the fact that “no concrete country” was mentioned implies that ASEAN leaders other than parties concerned used caution in expressing their positions. This could be construed that China has lots of influence over these leaders.

A Vietnamese protester holds a banner in a rally against Beijing's deployment of an oil rig in the contested waters of the South China Sea, outside the Chinese Embassy on Sunday, May 11, 2014 in Hanoi, Vietnam. The deployment of the rig has a triggered a tense standoff in the ocean and raised fears of confrontation between the neighboring countries.(Photo : AP/NEWSis)

Thousands of patriotic Vietnamese protesting against China

As news spread that Chinese ships rammed and fired water cannons and that some of Vietnamese were wounded, the Vietnamese went on a patriotic movement nationwide and overseas. In cities across the country, the Vietnamese staged demonstrations demanding Chinese to remove the oil drilling rig. Vietnamese living overseas demonstrated in front of Chinese embassies in their resident countries.

Vietnamese say that the Chinese drilling rigs were located within Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf. Thus China was seriously violating international law, 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea(UNCLOS), and a 2011 agreement on settlement of sea-related issues.

Vietnamese media report on Chinese “illegal” acts

Vietnamese became “infuriated” at the Chinese installment of illegal oil rigs and intentional ramming of Vietnamese ships. Vietnamese news media, for example, a daily named Viet News carried lots of stories about this maritime row : “Japan, UK call for de-escalation of East Sea tensions” “Nation protests Chinese intrusion” “Overseas Vietnamese protest China’s violation of sovereignty” and so forth.

Vietnam News also reported that the maritime tensions keep stock indices down. One editorial said that the Chinese must withdraw its oil rig. Vietnamese position appears to be that it will take all necessary measures, preferably diplomatic, to protect its waters.