By Brij Khindaria
Taiwan proposed a road map today for a South China Sea peace initiative as a step towards defusing rising tensions between the US and China, which are locked in a risky tango in the South China Sea.
The tensions might result in a limited naval confrontation because Beijing is moving quickly to stake physical ownership over hundreds of islands in the region.
It is building facts on the ground including landing strips that could be used by fighter aircraft to reinforce its security posture. It also wants to acquire the 250 nautical mile economic zones around each island permitted by the International Law of the Sea.
Beijing has unilaterally declared “security zones” that are not recognized by any international treaties and has warned fishing boats and aircraft from neighboring countries to stay away from its zones.
Its navy patrols and military aircraft have buzzed even US destroyers and aircraft patrolling the region to ensure freedom of navigation since the shipping lanes carry most of the oil, gas and goods to and from China, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and Europe.
The US has no ownership rights on the islands but its friends and allies, including Taiwan and the Philippines which do claim ownership of many islands, are deeply concerned by China’s moves. Manila has brought charges against Beijing in Law of the Sea Tribunal and a ruling is expected later this year.
Outgoing Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou proposed the road map for his South China Sea peace initiative during a visit to Taiping Island. Taiwan is trying to expand presence only on Taiping but claims ownership of almost all the South China Sea islands that Beijing also claims.
Some of those islands are also claimed by other countries, including the Philippines, Brunei, Vietnam and Malaysia.
“Frankly we’re disappointed. We view such an action as unhelpful. And it does not contribute to the peaceful resolution of disputes in the South China Sea,” Mark Toner, a State Department spokesman said about Ma’s visit. The United States’ office in Taiwan called the visit “extremely unhelpful.”
“We want to see a halt among all claimants to further land reclamation, construction of new facilities, militarization of outposts. All of that would help lower tensions and create space for a peaceful resolution,” Toner added.
The Philippine Foreign Ministry reminded “all parties concerned of our shared responsibility to refrain from actions that can increase tension in the South China Sea.”
Ma, who will be succeeded in May by Taiwan’s first woman president Tsai Ing-wen, thinks otherwise. He said the road map of the South China Sea peace initiative is based on “yes” to cooperation, sharing and pragmatism and “no” to confrontation, monopolizing and intransigence.
In the short term, all concerned would shelve their disputes, pledge to replace military confrontation with peaceful consultations, refrain from taking actions that might affect stability and peace, and ensure the freedom and safety of navigation and flight through the region.
After building trust, the parties would negotiate codes of conduct regarding unexpected sea or air encounters in the South China Sea, as well as the establishment of hotlines and other security mechanisms.
In the mid-term, all parties concerned would cooperate on issues such as the conservation and management of living resources, the exploration of non-living resources, marine environmental protection and scientific research, crime prevention at sea, as well as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
In the long term, they would establish a mechanism for “zonal development” designating specific maritime areas for bilateral or multilateral development.
Yesterday, during Secretary John Kerry’s visit to China, Foreign Minister Wang Yi was clear.
“The South China Sea Islands have historically been China’s territory. China has a right to protect its own territorial sovereignty and lawful and legitimate maritime rights and interests,” he said.
“And on the islands and the reefs stationed by China … there are some necessary facilities for self-defense, but international law has given all sovereign countries the right of self-protection and self-defense.”
Kerry repeated the long standing position that the US “does not take sides on the sovereignty questions underlying the territorial disputes” and urged all sides to avoid “a destabilizing cycle of mistrust or escalation”.
“We ask that all parties clarify their claims under international law, that they exercise restraint, and that they adhere to peaceful and diplomatic ways of addressing disagreements.”
Despite the rhetoric of peace, causes of possible confrontation between the US and Chinese navies remain high since Beijing has no intention of slowing down its expanding security presence in the South China Sea.