East Asia Summit to promote ‘rules-based’ order

MANILA, Philippines - Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak is positive the East Asia Summit (EAS) will promote a “rules-based order” in a region that feels out-muscled and overwhelmed by China.

He said the EAS would encourage deeper dialogues on political and strategic issues to promote trust and that “this could not come at a more critical time.”

The EAS, which opened yesterday in Kuala Lumpur, is expected to swing back to the maritime standoff in the South China Sea, closing a marathon week of diplomacy largely overshadowed by the recent jihadist attacks in Paris and Mali.

Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and dialogue partners – the United States, Russia, China, India, Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand – called for respect for countries’ sovereignty in the South China Sea.

The gathering brings China to the same table as rival claimants plus US President Barack Obama, who during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Manila, called on Beijing to halt its push to expand tiny atolls into fully fledged islands.

In the 10th EAS Statement on Enhancing Regional Maritime Cooperation that was adopted yesterday, the leaders said they were promoting peace, stability and security in the region by redoubling cooperative efforts that include encouraging more countries to accede to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and ensuring the universal application of international law and respect for sovereignty.

They agreed that territorial and jurisdictional disputes would be resolved by peaceful means without resorting to the threat or use of force; and through friendly consultations and negotiations by sovereign states directly concerned, in accordance with universally recognized principles of international law, including UNCLOS.

The leaders also agreed to exercise “self-restraint in the conduct of activities that would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability, including, among others, refraining from inhabiting the presently uninhabited islands, reefs, shoals, cays and other features; and to handle their differences in a constructive manner.”

They said they would like to ensure that all countries would “enjoy and exercise freedom of navigation and overflight” as they expressed support for the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and the early conclusion of an effective code of conduct on the basis of a consensus.

Press Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. welcomed the EAS statement as it reflected consensus and unanimous agreement on guiding principles for addressing current issues on the South China Sea, even if the country’s arbitration case was not cited.

He added that President Obama had also said that arbitration was an appropriate course of action and that the arbitral tribunal’s decision was binding.

President Aquino said the EAS had become a locus of important conversations on major strategic, political and security issues.

“It derives its vitality and direction from its leaders-led process, and the Philippines believes there are areas where the EAS can benefit from the participation of like-minded partners, such as Canada and the EU, who have in many ways manifested their intentions to help us build a more peaceful and prosperous region,” Aquino said.

The South China Sea is being claimed in whole or in part by China, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan.

Fait accompli

China has been accused of dragging its feet on the code – which could limit its freedom of action at sea – while it works to turn its disputed claims into a fait accompli.

Its massive land reclamation, construction activities and militarization in the disputed areas have raised serious concerns among claimant-countries and the international community as these might impede freedom of navigation and overflight.

Each year, $5.3 trillion of trade passes through the South China Sea.

President Obama met Saturday with ASEAN counterparts and they issued a joint statement stressing the need to maintain freedom of navigation and over-flight rights in the South China Sea. He also backed ASEAN’s calls for progress with China on agreeing on a code of conduct at sea to prevent conflict.

“For the sake of regional stability, claimants should halt reclamation, new construction and militarization of disputed areas,” Obama said.

Washington has repeatedly warned that traffic through the South China Sea, a key conduit for world trade, could be threatened by China’s moves.

It recently sent US naval vessels to the region to stress the right to free passage, a move that angered Beijing, which insists on sovereignty over virtually all the resource-endowed sea.