ASEAN DECLARATION SOUTH CHINA SEA
Week 13: ASEAN DECLARATION SOUTH CHINA SEA
China and Southeast Asia were enraged by disputes over islands and reefs
in the South China Sea throughout the 1990s, which exacerbated tensions between
the two countries. Conflicting claims over islands in the Spratly region
resulted in a naval conflict between Vietnam and China in 1988 that resulted in
the deaths of more than 70 Vietnamese sailors. It was announced on July 22,
1992, by members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and
disputants over the Spratly Islands, including China, Taiwan, Malaysia, the
Philippines, Vietnam, and Brunei.
Because of its abundance in oil, gas, and fisheries, every single disputant is adamant about asserting its claim to those islands. It is also a vital site from the standpoint of deference since it has the potential to become a command center over the South China Sea. In exchange for this declaration, the claimants agree to use peaceful ways to resolve their concerns about the islands in question.
Due to South China Sea disputes
between and Southeast Asian, other country such as Vietnam, Philippines and
Malaysia can be affected by it. Moreover, it will affect in terms of peace of
the region as well as block the ASEAN-China ties. Hence, members state of ASEAN
and government of the People’s Republic of China has determined to develop
their friendship by cooperate to maintain peace. These members of countries
involved are committed to enhancing objectives of the 1997 Joint Statement of
Meeting of Heads of government of members countries ASEAN with President
Republic of China. The declaration has declared to reaffirm in committing of
principles of the Charter of the United Nations which is UN Convention on the
Law of the Sea, Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in the Southeast Asia as well
as the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. All members countries of ASEAN
must not against or cross any territory with threat or use of force for
maintaining peaceful of the region. The members of ASEAN countries have
declared not to do any activities that can affect peaceful including action in
inhabiting of islands, reefs, shoals, cays and other features. In simple word,
this declaration is to settle of territorial and justice by having cooperation,
confidence in build trust among ASEAN members and China.
WHY
The South
China Sea is bordered by Brunei, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the
Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. The major concern in
this dispute is Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei. It is very
important sea because it is the strategic patrol of Chinese SSBN, a buffer zone
for China, the third of the global maritime trade, oil and natural gas reserves,
and fishing ground crucial for food security.
IMPACT
1. Simmering Tension between China and Vietnam in the
South China Sea
Tensions
in the South China Sea rose in April when a Chinese coast guard ship was sunk a
Vietnamese fishing boat near the Paracel Islands, a highly contested area in
the region. Conflicts over island area have fought for decades, with China,
Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei that all
those country are claiming territory. The region is full of natural resources
and biodiversity which an estimated 11 billion barrels of oil and natural gas.
Since before the April crisis, there was a rise in pressures between Vietnam
and China. In recent decades, China has imposed pressure on Vietnam to abandon
oil and gas exploration, imposed fishing bans in disputed waters near Vietnam
and the Paracel Islands, and increased its military presence in the Paracel and
Spratly Islands. China's rights in the area expand into Vietnam's Exclusive
Economic Zone (EEZ). EEZs are created in 1982 by United Nations Convention on
the Law of the Sea, which governments have some special resource rights. This
has increased tensions between the two nations over resource allocation, which
Vietnam attempting to find a balance between asserting territorial claims and
maintaining a cooperative relationship with the Chinese government. Vietnam has
taken legal action against China over South China Sea conflicts in late 2019
and during the ASEAN Regional Forum, Vietnam expressed worries about regional
security.
2. Fossil Fuels as Threat Multipliers
The
existence of oil and gas resources in the area has worsened the conflict's
environmental and political impacts. Following persistent Chinese pressure,
Vietnam terminated an offshore oil and gas exploration project in July. This
pressure is part of China's broader strategy to block non-Chinese oil and gas
production in the South China Sea. The region's oil and gas resources also open
up the possibility of environmental impact. The South China Sea's ecosystems,
which have already been harmed by military activities and commerce, will
jeopardise when the region's oil and gas resources are explored. Besides in
rising on shipping traffic, oil and gas spills, can cause the risk of
degradation. While China and Vietnam may have competing interests to South China
Sea island borders, they have a similar interest in ensuring the availability
of natural resources in the region. However, given the amount of environmental
destruction caused by the war, neither nation will have much left unless they
can find a way to collaborate.
3. Biodiversity Loss in the South China Sea
Increased
military activity and commercial fishing in the South China Sea have taken a
heavy toll on the region's biodiversity, potentially leading to conflict
between China and one of Asean's member countries, Vietnam. The South China Sea
is a biodiversity hotspot, with important marine ecosystems, mangrove forests,
and thousands of fish and sponge species. Building islands to increase military
presence in the region has been a key strategy of territory claimants. China
has been the most aggressive in building islands among the various countries
involved in the conflict, and is responsible for the majority of environmental
damage caused by projects. China has constructed an estimated 3200 acres of
artificial islands, the majority of which are located in the Spratly Islands. The dredging process used to create these artificial
islands has serious environmental consequences. Dredging destroys coral reefs,
disrupts ecosystems by altering wave patterns, and disrupts migration corridors
for many species, including tuna, through the South China Sea. Aside from
building artificial islands, Vietnam and China have increased commercial
fishing to bolster territorial claims. China has expanded its fishing practises
in Spratly and Paracel Islands to bolster historical territorial claims, even
going so far as to pay fisherman to maintain a presence in Spratly.
Furthermore, the dredging process used to build these islands is causing harm
to fish larvae populations along the coral reef. It endangers the fish in the
South China Sea.
CONCLUSION
In
conclusion, this declaration gives some bad impacts to the countries in
Southeast Asia Region as stated above. However, this declaration also is
important to the Southeast Asia as it reaffirms the freedom of navigation and
overflight, as well as the peaceful resolution of disputes and the use of
self-control in the conduct of operations. This is because of adverse
developments in the South China Sea directly affect peace and stability in the
region. Furthermore, in terms of dispute resolution in the South China Sea,
ASEAN takes a proactive approach. Despite this, it is suggested that the
Association must overcome internal cohesiveness issues in order to find a
unified position and reach an agreement on a Code of Conduct with China and
among its member nations.
Comments
Post a Comment