China has for some years intensified its land reclamation, facility construction and defence installation in the South China Sea. Its contentious activities in the hotly disputed waters have unnerved rival claimant states and other countries such as the United States, Japan and Australia.
Yet, each time its island-building and militarization in the strategic seaway have been raised Beijing vehemently denied or downgraded the contentions.
For instance, in March this year, a spokesman for China’s defence ministry categorically stated there was “no such thing” as man-made islands in the South China Sea and denied the country’s military build-up in the area, saying any work was mainly for civilian purposes.
In the same month, during a visit to Australia Li Keqiang, China’s premier, also dismissed Beijing’s militarization of the islands, adding “if there is a certain amount of defence equipment or facilities it is for maintaining the freedom of navigation” for all.
Beijing admits its South China Sea ambitions
But after years of denials, it seems Beijing has now not only acknowledged but praised — albeit implicitly — its island-building and military build-up in the contested region.
Last week, Study Times, an official Chinese magazine, devoted its front page to an adulatory profile of President Xi Jinping, the 1.3-billion-people country’s “core” leader.
The weekly newspaper, published by the Central Party School, the ruling party’s top academy, praised Xi’s life, leadership and policies — including, notably, his tough stance on maritime and territorial issues. On the South China Sea issue, the profile revealed that Xi “personally made decisions on building islands and consolidating the reefs.”
“[Such decisions] fundamentally changed the strategic situation of the South China Sea” and “created a solid strategic foundation for the winning final victory in the struggle for upholding rights in the South China Sea,” the article stated.
Seven man-made islands built in the Spratlys
Indeed, China has aggressively expanded its presence in the resource-rich and strategically important waterway since Xi came to power in 2012. It has constructed seven large man-made islands in the highly contested Spratly archipelago, which it has equipped with airstrips and other military-purpose installations.
China’s territorial and military expansionism has dramatically shifted the balance of power in the region in its favor. Having built such huge military infrastructure on its artificial islands, “the equivalent of building a maritime Great Wall,” China is in the strongest position to control the strategic seaway and to project its power over regional countries. It can now deploy combat aircraft, missile launchers, and other military hardware on (and from) its newly built bases at any time.
With Xi seeking to increase his sweeping influence in and beyond his second-term that ends in 2023, it is likely that China will continue — and even harden — its tough line on maritime and territorial issues in the years to come.
Though he made no reference to any specific conflicts or disputes during his recent speech at an event marking the 90th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in Beijing, the leader of China’s Communist Party, state, and military, vowed: “We absolutely will not permit [anyone] — at any time, in any form — to separate any piece of Chinese territory from China.”
“No one should expect us to swallow the bitter fruit of damage to our sovereignty, security and development interests” — Xi Jinping
“No one should expect us to swallow the bitter fruit of damage to our sovereignty, security and development interests,” warned the 64-year-old, who is widely seen as China’s most powerful leader since Deng Xiaoping.
Such a hardline posture is, undoubtedly, a real concern for China’s neighbors, especially those who are locked in territorial disputes with the world’s second biggest economy and military.
China claims most of the 3.5-million-sq-km sea, through which about US$5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. However, its excessive claims to historic rights, other sovereign rights and jurisdiction within its so-called “nine-dash line” violate the economic exclusive zone of other countries, such as the Philippines and Vietnam.
Last July, a United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea tribunal decided that the nine-dash line — or the vast majority of its extensive claims to maritime rights and resources in the South China Sea — were incompatible with international law.
The arbitral tribunal also found that “China had violated the Philippines’ sovereign rights” and that its “recent large-scale land reclamation and construction of artificial islands was incompatible with the obligations on a state during dispute resolution proceedings.”
Beijing snubs landmark UN tribunal ruling
In fact, the five-judge tribunal ruled unanimously on almost all of the Philippines’ claims against China. Yet, Beijing has stringently rejected that landmark ruling.
Judging by China’s territorial and military expansion in the South China Sea during the last five years, the party’s public praise of Xi’s role in such maritime adventure, its show of military force at the 90th anniversary of its PLA and Xi’s combative remarks on this occasion, the Asian juggernaut is willing to use its power, including vast military means, to protect its “territory” and “sovereignty” in the South China Sea.
All of this also shows, when it comes to the maritime dispute, as widely acknowledged, China is not a benign and law-abiding power that respects other countries’ legitimate rights and treats its smaller neighbors as equals, as its leaders have preached.
China should be kicked out from the security council & asians should replace china with either Japan or Indonesia.It has not passed even one single union security resolution for workers rights,conservation of forests,rivers,wild animals,abuse of trade practices,rescinding discriminatory acts like NPT,Immigration right,occupying tibet etc etc.After 30 years asia will become a big desert…..so all asian countries should join hands to remove china from UNSC itself & replace it with a more responsible member.
All of this also shows, when it comes to the maritime dispute, as widely acknowledged, China is not a benign and law-abiding power…
That’s exactly the reason why China acted in the way it did. Other countries had been building features in South China Sea for years before China did. No one acknowledged those activities because those activities suits the existing "world order". China stood up for itself, taking calculated risks.
If cornered, even the weakest will fight back. China is certainty not a weak country, not anymore.
A foreign policy researcher on Vietnamese policies based in UK. Emm, I think the fact speak for itself.
If other countries do the same kind of maritime claims, China must support them. For instance, if the US claims sovereignty over the entire Pacific Ocean, China will support such a claim. Others are Japan, who may claim the entire Sea of Japan, and India who may claim the Indian Ocean, etc, etc.
China should be made to understand that, the South China Sea is the property of all 196 countries. Such a ownership means, any one country such as the US cannot say yes to China’s sovereign claim over the Sea. China must be made to understand that, if other countries claim hundreds or even thousands of miles of any sea as their territory, China by logic must support their claim.
You’re Chinese?
What features being built for years by other countries in the South China Sea are you referring to?
Why Japan or Indonesia ? What about India, when India got independence, it was offered Permanent UNSC seat, but Nehru declined the offer and made China the Permanent UNSC member. Now at least, getting back the Permanent UNSC we can rectify the past mistake.
To be fair, Xuan should also point out that Vietnam started occupying islands in the SCS may years ago.
It is a historical fact that chinese fleets were sailing in these waters centuries ago. A chinese novel "Flowers in the Mirror – Tang dynasty 700 AD)" hinted that Australia had been discovered by the chinese and there are also archaelogical evidence found there. This news appeared once in Australian media and has been suppressed since then.
i bet you been constipated since 1962.
Once Beijing fishishes doing,whatever it is doing under the sea regarding sub detection..it will propose joint exploration and share resources …which it has recently with the Phillippines
George Silversurfer Name one significant achievment of china as permanent member of UNNSC which impacted life of ordinary people in asia…..so if there was a vote taken by asian countries on china’s performance they will not have it elected honestly….
G.v. Suresh Personally i support alternative UN permanent council members which will exclude the Big 5 & it should be headquartered say summer,winter,spring,rainy season in south america,africa,central europe & asia.
Comments conveniently talk about the so-called International Arbitration court in the Hague and forgetting that it was a one-sided forum. The so-called arbitrarors were appointed by whom or acting as proxies of power that be. Such arbitration does not constitute "fair & just" without prejudice. Now all these have been forgotten and the so-called decision takes on de facto position. Say what you want as some of the comments are indeed biased particularly those with Indian background speaking with a forked tongue. Try to replace China in the Security Council by naming Japan not knowing that Japan was a defeated country for waging WWII & causing sufferings. death and miseries to all the countries in Asia. Such childish comments only show the level of understanding, It is apity!
.
It is like this if your father had done a crime,should you be punished for that….if the laws of asia says that should not be so…..it is chinese hypocracy to peddle Japan waged WW2……on other hand china has occupied tibet using force to change status quo it should discuss whether that was right thing for them to do by bringing in reputed supreme court lawyers of africa,southamerica,ASEAN etc etc…..if the chinese believe rule of law has to exist