Military of China, force comment.
Military of China, force comment.

7 23, the 18th ASEAN Regional Forum Foreign Ministers’ Meeting was held behind closed doors in Bali, Indonesia. (Chen Duo photo)

“International Herald Tribune” correspondent Deng Yajun Wang Jingyuan intern reporter from Beijing on July 20, eight-day series of ASEAN Regional Forum Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in the conference, more than half, came a concern of the “good news”: it had previously been regarded as a hot topic of the South China Sea issue, the parties to implement the “Declaration on Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea,” the follow-up agreed guidelines. Scene an Asian diplomat said the same opinion is a “good start.”

However, Carter, from Hanoi, Vietnam, immediately showing a different expression. In the elections of 21 new national leaders of the Congress meeting, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung said, will do all means to defend sovereignty, fishing and trade activities, and in the territorial sea of ??oil and gas exploration and so on.

“My overall feeling is simmering.” Participants who declined to be named, described the case reporter. “Of course, one can imagine, can not expect a forum to resolve all differences.” He said.

and ASEAN Secretary General Surin is more politely explain the issue of the parties in the South China Sea is still differences, as well as space for future efforts. He said: “with the words of Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, a thousand miles begins with one step, we will work together to continue a fruitful, peaceful, positive efforts.”

South China Sea “cool”?

at least, the position and the forum guidelines by the results of implementing the Declaration, has been recognized by most Chinese scholars.

learned that the “Declaration on Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea,” China and ASEAN, signed in November 2002 the first political document on the South China Sea. Parties in the “Declaration” commitment to a comprehensive and permanent settlement of the dispute before in marine environmental protection, marine scientific research, marine navigation and traffic safety, search and rescue, combating transnational crimes, or other areas of cooperation.

However, because follow-up has been unable to agree on guidelines for such cooperation delays progress. “Guidelines to promote the” Declaration “of the content of cooperation.” Director of China Institute of International music stars for the “International Herald Tribune,” cited the following example, “is like having two wheels. In the past, we emphasize that the parties do not what should be done on the contents of cooperation should be emphasized enough. Now, the original potential weak wheels effectively turn up, the relative proportion of the differences will be less. “

Therefore, the first half of this year compared to the heat of the South China Sea, the music star and former Foreign Ministry Asian Affairs Zhang Jiuheng believe that this outcome of the Forum of the South China Sea issue to a certain degree of tension of “cool.”

the other hand, to promote cooperation to solve the South China Sea does not mean the problem itself. Qu Xing admitted that “to solve the problem only to sit down and talk,” “and the negotiations have the right atmosphere, right background, do not lead to further deterioration of the situation now.”

present, China has been in China – ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ meeting on a number of initiatives put forward pragmatic cooperation. These include holding seminars on freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, the establishment of marine research and environmental protection, three specialized technical committees. The Chinese side also reiterated its willingness to continue to host the parties had already agreed to three joint projects.

new “policy” is just a compromise is not the end

Although U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with Yang Jiechi on July 22, also of China and ASEAN countries implementation of the “Declaration” agreed follow-up pointer gave a positive assessment. She said that the United States to understand the highly complex problem of the South China Sea, the South China Sea dispute over sovereignty does not hold the position, which involved no intention, no intention to become an issue between China and the U.S.; U.S. support for measures to help ease the situation.

However, the Philippine Foreign del Rosario was the day after the U.S. – ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ meeting claimed that the Philippines and the United States believe that only through cooperation, the parties to resolve the South China Sea disputes and other regional security issues. According to Deutsche Presse-Agentur reported that Del Rosario is still 23, the ASEAN Regional Forum, “lashed China”, he said China’s claim to sovereignty over the South China Sea “unfounded”; since the end of February this year, at least the territory of China to the Philippines “launched seven times violated.”

Similarly, from Vietnam and the “oath” is similar to the Philippine President Corazon Aquino on July 25 State of the Union to Congress, once again a tough stance on the South China Sea issue, claiming that the Philippines is ready to use force to protect the South China Sea on the country’s “territory.”

the face of the Philippines and Vietnam have shown significant differences in Japan, “Tokyo Shimbun” wrote: (follow-up guidelines), but is a compromise between China and ASEAN, but still in the fire.

another Japanese media, “Asahi Shimbun” further disclosure, in fact, reached a follow-up in the forum guidelines before the parties deadlocked over a period of time. This is reflected in: “ASEAN is committed to the multilateral framework to solve (the South China Sea), while the Chinese side insisted on holding bilateral consultations.” However, due to the “ASEAN countries have benefited from China’s economic development, countries are reluctant to place a decisive conflict with China.” But in the end, “in order to avoid internal divisions, the ASEAN countries do not use the pointer to the text ‘multilateral’ word.”

earlier in the forum, there are rumors that: the decision of ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting ” Joint China “hard show solidarity. In this regard, the famous commentator Phoenix commented how shiny, in fact, the ten ASEAN countries, the most hope in the South China Sea with ASEAN as a whole on the Chinese to exert pressure, mainly in Vietnam, the Philippines, and Indonesia. These contradictions between the countries themselves but also so that they can not form a so-called “anti-China alliance.”

Philippine music stars and even some of the remarks outside the Presidential Forum on “disdain”: “for domestic political needs, he said that is it. If a country is really the force as a political option if, in fact, is very dangerous, at least, is also untenable in the international moral. “

” restraint “to contain China

of course, Vietnam , the reason why the Philippines is more peaceful in the overall tone of the forum is still dare to aggressive, or behind the U.S. support.

Del Rosario, Philippine foreign minister criticized China of violating the “territorial” when, not forgetting to remind the United States, “If the Philippines ‘territorial’ rights can be (China claims sovereignty over the South China Sea) the unfounded Statement destruction, then other countries will also be the freedom of navigation in the South China Sea is facing a potential threat. “

Sure enough, according to the Associated Press reported that Hillary Clinton is also the day of the conference, urged China and ASEAN neighbors in the South China Sea issue to maintain “restraint.” She said that the recent developments in the South China Sea controversial issues in the region against the freedom of navigation, and a threat to the region’s economic development.

“freedom of navigation”, which is the United States has been emphasized, one of the reasons involved in the South China Sea. In response, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi at the meeting of this Forum to accept the domestic media joint interview, clearly responded: “For some countries in the South China Sea issue raised at the meeting, I expounded on China’s consistent position that the South China Sea is a free navigation , the channel is safe, the South China Sea islands and reefs part of sovereignty and jurisdiction over the waters by the direct parties to the dispute through friendly consultations and negotiations, a peaceful solution, which is the “Declaration on Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea,” the spirit of freedom of navigation and different areas of the South China Sea dispute is two issues. “

in Zhang Jiuheng view, although Clinton has stated in the forum” The United States has no intention to intervene, “” do not hold positions on the dispute. ” But in fact since last year, “American ships entered the South China Sea, at the exercise time and time again, are the important issues involved in the performance of the South China Sea and even Hillary Clinton has suggested that the relevant parties should be based on” United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea “to explain their demands, but also a step in. Of course it’s involved, the most important approach is to use differences in this region, and China against the use of certain countries. “Zhang Jiuheng said.

in last year’s ASEAN summit, Hillary has trotted out the “sovereignty of the South China Sea dispute is part of U.S. national interests”, and published a high-profile “intervention Sea” tough speech. This makes the meeting of Chinese diplomats angry, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on the spot given to refute.

One year later, Qu Xing believe that the U.S. does not want to see at a direct conflict with China, it summarizes the lessons of last year, but it’s position on the South China Sea has not changed. He said, “Hillary’s ‘no intention involved,’ is that the U.S. did not want to become a party to the South China Sea rope, do not want to become the South China Sea issue between China and the U.S., but U.S. interests in the South China Sea with the demand, the South China Sea issue in the significant presence, not only do not intend to withdraw from the South China Sea, also intends to enhance the influence of the South China Sea. In addition, the United States has repeatedly claimed that its allies to make commitments. “

this commitment as well as its own Road to understand the strategic needs of the purpose of U.S. involvement in the South China Sea. “The United States want to defer the development of China’s strategy to maintain its hegemony.” Zhang Jiuheng said.

differences will be brought to the end of the East Asia Summit

South China Sea, Sino-US struggle, “inflammatory” as well as Japan and South Korea. “Japanese Economic News” published an editorial that China’s implementation of the “Declaration” guidelines for follow-up on the “concessions” with the ASEAN countries and the United States, Japan’s tough stance inseparable. Japan and ASEAN should work with the United States, South Korea, cooperation, and promote diplomatic shake the tenacious Chinese.

According to Japanese media, the United States proposed that countries in the South China Sea issue on the claim of sovereignty to produce a legal basis. This is to contain China, the South China Sea into the East Asia Summit in November this year framework. This intention, will be the first East Asia Summit of the United States to participate in another performance, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State around the South China Sea issue had a series of discussions held on the side said: “The first step was carried out very well.”

But Zhang Jiuheng that China is also in accordance with a clear idea of ??trying to effectively solve the South China Sea. “In the South China Sea issue, we first have to clear China’s South China Sea Islands and adjacent waters, especially the Spratly Islands reefs and adjacent waters, has indisputable sovereignty over which we have sufficient historical facts as the basis, but also the United Nations’ Law of the Sea “and” international law “based.”

he said, “but the situation is indeed more complex the South China Sea issue, we also need to acknowledge the existence of the dispute. Nevertheless, the South China Sea issues the parties is hoped that through peaceful means to resolve differences, which I think are in favor of national insight. no one wants the regional tensions, hopes there will be war in this region. “

this point of view, Singapore’s “Lianhe Zaobao,” also show the optimistic expectations of China. This article “Asian security order, we need China,” as the subject, wrote: in the settlement of disputes between countries on the West tend to use hard power and military policy. And the West, China is more inclined to first create a friendly atmosphere, come to find peaceful solution to disputes.

article that the “reform and opening up, China has spent a short time, and Russia, and Vietnam, the peaceful settlement of the border dispute. This achievement is rare in the West. Has reason to believe that, despite South China Sea issue is more complex, and there is the constant intervention of foreign forces, learn to accept and learn lessons from the experience of China, are bound to find peaceful means to solve the problem. “

related topics: Vietnam and the Philippines in the South China Sea I renewed the dispute