China accuses Philippines of political provocation

WASHINGTON – China has accused the Philippines of “political provocation” in seeking international arbitration over territorial claims in the South China Sea.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Thursday the decision by Philippine leaders to lodge a case with a tribunal in The Hague was “irresponsible to the Filipino people and the future of the Philippines.”

China has refused to participate in the proceedings. A ruling is expected later this year, after the tribunal decided last October that it could hear the case.

The Philippines initiated arbitration in early 2013 after Beijing refused to withdraw its ships from a disputed shoal under a US-brokered deal. It contends that China’s massive territorial claims in the strategic waters do not conform with the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and should be declared invalid. The Philippines also asserts that some Chinese-occupied reefs and shoals do not generate, or create a claim to, territorial waters.

Wang blamed the Philippines for shutting the door to negotiations with China over their dispute and seeking arbitration without China’s consent.

He said China was prepared to negotiate “tomorrow.”

“We are neighbors just separated by a narrow body of water,” Wang told the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank. “We want to contribute to the Philippines’ economic development.”

Wang was in Washington this week for talks with his counterpart, Secretary of State John Kerry. Differences over the South China Sea have strained US-China relations. The US accuses China of militarizing a key conduit for world trade. China says Washington and its allies are responsible for raising tensions.

China has conducted a massive program of land reclamation over the past two years in the South China Sea, where Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims.

Adm. Harry Harris Jr., commander of US forces in the Pacific, told Congress this week that China has constructed more than 3,000 acres (1,210 hectares) of artificial land there in little more than two years, compared with about 115 acres reclaimed by the other claimants in more than 45 years.

Wang said China has stopped reclaiming land but other countries are continuing.

Wang also said China’s military facilities on islands and reefs are needed for self-defense as other nations have already militarized surrounding shores. China also intends to build civilian infrastructure like weather stations and emergency harbors for ships in danger, he said, which would benefit the international community.

In Manila, the presidential palace refused yesterday to dignify the accusation of foreign minister Wang that the Philippines engaged in “political provocation” when it lodged an arbitration case before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague.

“The Philippine government respects the independence of the processes of the tribunal; hence, we deem it inappropriate to engage other parties in argumentative discussion while we await the outcome of our petition before the tribunal,” Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said.

‘Seriously concerned’ by Australian defense document ?

Meanwhile, reports from Canberra said Chinese officials were “seriously concerned” by an Australian strategic evaluation of the South China Sea and warned Australia against compromising the stability of the Asia-Pacific region.

Australia announced a 20-year plan Thursday to bolster its naval strength with more submarines and warships as part of a military buildup it said was needed to maintain peace in the region.

The strategic document, the Defense White Paper, said Australia was “particularly concerned by the unprecedented pace and scale of China’s land reclamation activities“ in the South China Sea.

While not taking sides on competing territorial claims, Australia opposed “the use of artificial structures in the South China Sea for military purposes” and the assertion of maritime rights not recognized by international law.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a press conference later Thursday that China was “seriously concerned about and dissatisfied with the White Paper’s negative statement on issues concerning the South China Sea and the development of China’s military strength.”

Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Col. Wu Qian appeared to warn Australia against following the United States’ lead by sailing near one of the Beijing-controlled islands in the Paracel chain.

“We urge the Australian side to cherish the hard-won good momentum of development in bilateral relations and don’t take part in or conduct any activities that may compromise the stability of the region,” he said.

“The military alliance between Australia and the US should get rid of the Cold War mentality,” he added. Chinese officials use the phrase “Cold War mentality”” to refer to thinking that harks back to an era when the world was less integrated.

Asked for comment about the document, the Chinese embassy on Friday referred the AP to the two officials’ comments.

The document also said the United States will remain the pre-eminent global military power and will continue to be Australia’s most important strategic partner over the next two decades.

A major conflict between the United States and China was unlikely, but friction between the two powers over the East China and South China Seas could raise tensions, it said.

“It will be important for regional stability that China provides reassurance to its neighbors by being more transparent about its defense policies,” it said.  – Aurea Calica