Petaling Jaya (The Star/ANN) - On March 2, two Chinese marine surveillance vessels harassed a Philippine seismic survey vessel in the vicinity of Reed Reef in the area claimed by the latter.
This was followed by the discovery of steel posts and a buoy near Amy Douglas Bank in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone on May 24 and the cutting of cable of Vietnamese oil exploration vessel Binh Minh 2 on 27 May 120 nautical miles off the coast of Vietnam.
The flurry of reports on Chinese belligerence against Vietnam and the Philippines in the South China Sea has put the contested area back on the radar screens of observers, analysts and the media alike.
The three incidents highlighted the fragility of the status quo established by the signing of the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) by Asean members and China and utility of the DOC in managing the dispute in the South China Sea.
The incidents also provided a "wake-up call" to the claimants that all may not be well in the South China Sea.
The South China Sea is a vital sea lane for the transportation of goods and materials that has spurred the growth of economies of East Asia. Its role as a trading route dates back to as early as the fifth century when trade between India and China began while Arab and Iranian traders started using the South China Sea route by the eighth and ninth centuries. It is also an area which is claimed in part or in whole by Brunei, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.
Vietnam and the Philippines, for example, remain unconvinced despite the reassuring speech by the Chinese Minister of National Defence General Liang Guanglie at the Shangri-La dialogue in Singapore on June 5. General Liang, among others, maintained China's commitment to the DOC and the need to resolve the dispute in the South China Sea through peaceful means.
Others, however, contended that China needs to match its words with deeds. Evidence to the contrary, however, has been observed time and again.
In the early morning hours of June 9, Chinese vessels again attempted to cut the cables of a Vietnamese-chartered survey vessel, the Viking 2.
Such incidents will put a damper on confidence-building in the South China Sea. Already protests were organised in Manila, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City by irate Filipinos and Vietnamese. In addition, there has been a flurry of protest notes to the Chinese embassies in both countries.
Given that the 18th Asean Regional Forum (ARF) is just around the corner, one wonders whether China is engaging in territorial "scent-marking" in anticipation of Asean's response to its latest actions. Thus far, only the two countries directly affected by the incidents have protested while the rest of Asean remains on the sideline. The 18th ARF could well prove to be the make-or-break point for the DOC and Asean's and China's move towards a more binding code of conduct in the South China Sea.
If no firm commitment is made, there could well be more provocation on the part of China. A prominent South China Sea scholar has already described China's latest actions as akin to "yanking" the life support system from the DOC.
As chair of Asean, Indonesia has a pivotal role to play in managing the dispute in the South China Sea and moving its solution forward. Indonesia's president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his foreign minister Marty Natalegawa have both indicated Indonesia's willingness to advance discussion on the issue.
The ball, however, is firmly at Asean's collective feet. If Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) wants to be at the centre of its security universe, then it must be willing to confront difficult security situations such as the overlapping claims in the South China Sea. This is also an opportunity for various elements of the Asean security architecture such as the ARF and the Asean Defence Ministers Meeting Plus to play a role in managing regional security issues.
The United States too has a role to play albeit one that may require more brain then brawn. A verbal slugfest between Washington and Beijing similar to the one at last year's ARF in Hanoi would probably not ease tension. All the Asean claimants recognise US role in balancing China's burgeoning military power in the region. The United States, however, is beset by a huge deficit and may not be able to sustain its current and proposed engagements in the region indefinitely.
In the final analysis, more should be expected from the Asean claimants of the South China Sea. If what China allegedly did on Amy Douglas Bank violates the DOC provisions against new occupation of uninhabited features, then the Asean signatories of the DOC have to speak out. Silence in this instance should not imply acceptance.
Mohd Nizam Basiron is a Research Fellow at the Maritime Institute of Malaysia. These are his personal views.
