An aerial photo of an illegal airfield that China built on Fiery Cross Reef of Vietnam's Truong Sa archipelago (Photo: AFP)Hanoi(VNA) – Chinese bombers’ landing and take-off drills on an airfield in Hoang Sa(Paracel) archipelago, which belongs to Vietnam but is occupied by China, arecausing deep concerns and facing strong opposition from many countries regionallyand globally.
After an array of activities to illegallyreclaim and construct military facilities and bases in the East Sea and thedeployment of weapons on artificial islands that were illegally built in TruongSa (Spratly) archipelago, China’s latest move in Hoang Sa has evidenced thecountry’s continued acceleration of militarising the East Sea regardless ofinternational opposition.
Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera saidthis is the next step of China to unilaterally change the status quo in theEast Sea. Meanwhile, spokesman of the US Pentagon Christopher Logan saidChina’s continued militarisation only serves to raise tensions and destabilisethe region.
At the ongoing G20 foreign ministers’meeting in Buenos Aires of Argentina, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishopraised her country’s concerns about China’s militarisation in the East Sea.
Philippine presidential spokesman Harry Roquealso expressed serious concerns on the move’s impact on efforts to maintainpeace and stability in the region.
This is not the first time China’s unilateralmilitary moves have encountered international criticism.
In early May 2018, in response to the Chinesemissile deployment in the structures that it built illegally in Vietnam’sTruong Sa archipelago, the US warned about near-term and long-termconsequences, noting that China cannot and should not have a hostile attitudein the East Sea.
Chief of the US Pacific Command Admiral PhilipDavidson, who took office on May 18, said China’s actions affirm its intentionto control the East Sea.
Echoing the view, Gregory Poling, a fellow atthe Centre for Strategic and International Studies, said China is crossing animportant threshold. The missile deployment is a clear threat to otherclaimants and furthers China’s goal of establishing complete control over thewater and airspace of the East Sea.
China’s deployment of weapons in the structuresit illegally built in the East Sea and its large-scale military moves in thewaters clearly run counter to commitments the country made not to militarisethe East Sea.
This is also contrary to the Declaration on theConduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), signed by China and the member statesof the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2002, which requiresthe countries to maintain the status quo and not complicate the East Seasituation.
Moreover, China made these moves when it and theASEAN countries reached an important common perception in together building aCode of Conduct (COC) of parties in the East Sea towards a transparent andrule-based regional architecture and an East Sea of peace and stability.
The Chinese moves undermine and hampernegotiation efforts to finalise the COC, which aims to create prerequisites forthe settlement of East Sea disputes and maintain peace, stability, security andsafety of navigation in the region.
China’s deployment of bombers and missiles inthe East Sea has run counter to international law and seriously violatedVietnam’s sovereignty, in both legal and historical aspects, over Hoang Sa andTruong Sa archipelagoes.
Those activities have affected the friendship andcomprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between Vietnam and China. Theyhave also breached the two countries’ agreement on basic principles guiding thesettlement of sea-related issues as well as the common perception shared betweenthe countries’ leaders to solve obstacles in the East Sea issue. The two sidespreviously agreed to continue implementing the DOC in a comprehensive andeffective manner, soon build the COC, control sea-related disagreements welland not take actions complicating the situation.
China’s sending of weapons to illegal structuresin Hoang Sa and Truong Sa only raises tensions and blights trust among partiesinvolved in the East Sea issue.
As a big country with an important role in theinternational arena, China has the responsibility to adjust its behaviour inthe East Sea on the basis of international law, end all unilateral actionscomplicating the situation, show a constructive attitude and contribute to the maintenanceof peace, stability, friendship and cooperation in the region.-VNA
VNA
