THE Association of Southeast Asian Nations has taken a soft stance on China’s militarization of the disputed South China Sea, failing to come up even with a date for much-ballyhooed negotiations to begin with Beijing on a binding Code of Conduct for countries with competing territorial claims in the area.
The chairman’s statement, which was released Thursday, or two days after the 31st Asean Summit concluded, said the date for negotiations would be announced in early 2018 during the 20th Asean-China summit in Vietnam.
“In view of the positive momentum, we looked forward to the announcement of the start of substantive negotiations on the COC with China at the 20th Asean-China Summit and the subsequent convening of the 23rd Asean-China Joint Working Group Meeting on the Implementation of the DOC in Vietnam in early 2018,” the Chairman’s statement said, referring to an earlier, non-binding Declaration of Code of Conduct with China.
“We discussed the matters relating to the South China Sea and took note of the improving relations between Asean and China and, in this regard, are encouraged by the adoption of the framework of the Code of Conduct for the South China Sea [COC], which will facilitate the work and negotiation for the conclusion of a substantive and effective COC,” the statement said.
The statement ran counter to the earlier announcements that the Asean would announce the specific date for the start of the COC negotiations.
A spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs, Robespierre Bolivar, however, said if a joint working group on the DOC devoted its time to the COC, “how can you say that’s clearly not the start of the COC negotiation?”
“That’s the name of the working group but the COC is part of its agenda,” he said.
His explanation, however, was not reflected in the customary Asean joint communique, that referred only to the “full implementation of the DOC.”
The Declaration of Code of Conduct was signed in 2002 between China and Asean , a non-binding edict aimed at reducing tensions in the region and preventing claimant-countries—China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan—from aggressively pursuing their claims.
The DOC, however, has not stopped China from building military structures on some of the disputed isles in the South China Sea.
The COC, on the other hand, seeks to make the DOC principles binding on all signatories.
In the 28-page Asean Chairman’s statement, there is no mention of China’s militarization of the South China Sea, only a reference to the vague need for “non-militarization and self restraint.”
The Asean Chairman—the Philippines holds the rotating position this year—also took note that Asean and China have successfully tested the hotline among foreign ministries on how to manage maritime emergencies.
“In our view, these are practical measures that could reduce tensions, and the risk of accidents, misunderstandings and miscalculation,” the statement said.
The creation of the COC, the Asean said, must be “legally binding” to put a stop to “unilateral actions” in the South China Sea.
Signing China up to a code that it must abide by, and can be enforced, has long been a goal for Asean’s claimant members Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, and Malaysia.
China claims most of the oil-resource-rich South China Sea where a total of $5 trillion worth of trade passes through the disputed waters every year, citing its nine-dash line policy based on an ancient Chinese map.
But the Arbitral Tribunal has ruled in favor of the Philippines and declared China’s claim as excessive and illegal to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The Chairman’s statement was released to the public at around 11:05 a.m. on Thursday, almost two days after the conclusion of Asean Summit and hours after Chinese Premier Li Keqiang left the Philippines.
It was a first time in history of the Asean Summit that the customary chairman’s statement was released a few days late.
In the Summit last April, the chairman’s statement was already available the morning after the summit concluded.
In 2016, when Laos is the host of the Asean Summit, the customary joint communique was released shortly before the closing ceremonies.
Bolivar declined to explain the delay, but said Wednesday that the statement was “still being proofread.”
The Philippines is also a claimant country in the disputed sea.
But since he assumed the presidency, President Rodrigo Duterte has downplayed its claim, and even the Philippines’ victory in the arbitration case against China, for the sake of boosting economic ties with Beijing, which has offered Manila billions in loans and grants.
Meanwhile, during the official state visit of Li, both the Philippines and China have agreed to avoid force to resolve their differences over the disputed South China Sea.
Based on the joint statement released to the public, both countries agreed that “there should be no violence or threats of violence and the dispute should be resolved via talks between the relevant sovereign countries.”
“Both sides believe that the maritime dispute is not the full sum of the China-Philippines relationship,” the statement said.
Before leaving the country, Li said China is committed to helping the Asean sustain economic growth in the region.
In his speech during the 12th East Asia Summit Tuesday, Li called on the East Asian countries to uphold the current trend of economic globalization and regional integration and pursue trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, effectively countering the “de-globalization” policy advocated by US President Donald Trump.
“We must uphold this open, inclusive and win-win cooperation at a higher level and work toward an early establishment of an East Asia Economic Community,” Li said, noting that EAS since its inception 12 years ago has grown into an important platform for dialogue and cooperation for countries from within and outside the region.
To attain these goals, China proposed six-point proposal, namely: speed up regional integration; promote sustainable development; advance social development; jointly tackle non-traditional security threats; develop new approaches to security; and improve the regional security architecture.
Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, who met with Li, said the Philippines should make up for the time lost due to misunderstandings over the South China Sea.
Pimentel said ties should be “immune to the issues of the day, and built on the friendship” of the two nations, not just their governments.
The meeting, hosted by Li, was held at the Conrad Hotel in Pasay City, and included Senate Majority Floor Leader Vicente Sotto III, Senators Juan Miguel Zubiri, Emmanuel Pacquiao, and Sherwin Gatchalian.
“Our discussion focused on how we can bring China and the Philippines closer together, not just through normal diplomatic channels, but also channels like party-to-party and parliament-to-parliament,” said Pimentel. With Rey E. Requejo and Macon Ramos-Araneta