USA and China clash at ASEAN summit over South China Sea

-Dr. Abdul Ruff

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At the outset one thing needs to be clarified about the UN veto members: they will never attack each other but only trade diplomatic blows and even threats.

As China is building structures on South China Sea, making the regional powers grow increasingly nervous about the Chinese intentions, USA has come out strongly against the Chinese “intrusion” in the region. As part of the US “pivot to Asia” aimed against Beijing, Obama has targeted Chinese land reclamation on islets in the South China Sea

The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur became the venue for the US-China standoff over the issue.  Last month, the US navy directly challenged Chinese territorial claims by sending a destroyer, the USS Lassen, within the 12-nautical-mile limit of its reefs. Washington is deliberately exploiting the issue to drive a wedge between Beijing and its South East Asian neighbors. At an ASEAN meeting with leaders, Obama reiterated the US demand for claimants to “halt land reclamation, new construction and militarization of disputed areas.”  In Manila last week, Obama addressed the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit and announced that the US was providing a quarter of a billion dollars in military aid to ASEAN members to boost “maritime security.”

In the name of regional “peace and stability,” the US and ASEAN leaders reaffirmed the importance of “ensuring maritime security and safety, and freedom of navigation including in and over-flight above the South China Sea.” The joint statement effectively endorsed US further intrusions into Chinese-claimed territory.

While the Paris terrorist attacks figured prominently in discussions, US President Barack Obama ensured that territorial disputes between China and neighboring countries were high on the agenda, compounding tensions in the region. Obama’s comments were clearly targeted against China. He repeated the same message throughout meetings in Kuala Lumpur and at last week’s Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Manila. The message is loud: USA opposes the Chinese sea aggression. But it cannot attack China, a fellow UN veto member, enjoying equal rights.

Meanwhile, Washington is trying to9 woo the regional powers as Obama sealed an ASEAN-US strategic partnership, of which “maritime cooperation” was a key element. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei all have claims in the South China Sea that put them at odds with China. Indonesia is threatening to mount a legal challenge to China, even though Beijing recognises Jakarta’s sovereignty over the Natuna islands.

China has been placed under mounting pressure not only by the US, but Washington’s allies, including the Philippines, Japan and Australia.  With US support, the Philippines is currently engaged in a legal challenge to Chinese claims in the South China Sea.  Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop reaffirmed Australia’s complete commitment to US actions in the South China Sea. She declared that the “land reclamation and construction activity that’s undertaken by China and other claimants raises tensions in the region.

 Japan backed the US to the hilt. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met with Obama on the sidelines of the APEC summit and announced that his government would “consider dispatching its Self-Defence Forces (military SDF) to the sea while examining the impact of the situation there on its security. Tokyo is already providing patrol vessels to the Philippines and Vietnam. After reaching a defence equipment agreement with Aquino last week, Abe said he would consider a Philippine request for Japan to supply “large patrol vessels. Speaking in Sydney at Japan-Australia ministerial talks, Japanese military minister Nakatani accused China of “attempting to change the status quo by force” in the South China Sea, “based on self-righteous assertions which are incompatible with international law and order.” Japan’s threat to engage in naval operations in the South China Sea is particularly provocative, given its history of aggression, colonisation and war crimes in Asia during the 1930s and 1940s. 

China criticized false propaganda of USA and allies that it was militarizing the South China Sea, insisting that Beijing’s actions were “beyond reproach” and branded the USS Lassen’s intrusion last month as a “political provocation” designed to “test China’s response.”

Having failed to keep the South China Sea off the ASEAN agenda, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang lashed out in a closed-door session yesterday of the ASEAN-sponsored East Asia Summit, at which Obama was present. Li told the gathering that countries “from outside the region” should stop inflaming tensions over maritime disputes.

Meanwhile, While Washington and its allies repeatedly point the finger at Beijing, the US “pivot to Asia” is aimed at ensuring continued American dominance in Asia and the subordination of China to US interests.  

Over the past two decades, the US has repeatedly used military force to offset its historic decline, waging wars of aggression in the Middle East and Central Asia. Washington’s latest diplomatic offensive at the Asian summits goes hand-in-hand with a military build-up throughout the region to prepare for war with China.

While declaring it is for “peace and stability,” the US has already made clear that it intends to continue its provocative challenges in the South China Sea. 

Obviously USA is not going to start a war with China over the South China sea issue not only because both are partners on UNSC but as veto members they cannot fight wars with each other. This is the reason why the super powers USA and Russia have not fought even a single war.