Moving forward
China wants to hold military drills with Asean in disputed sea, excluding US
Asean and China agree on a working text over code of conduct in South China Sea.
China wants military exercises and energy exploration with South-East Asian nations in disputed waters, according to a draft document, but insists on outside countries being excluded in what analysts say is a bid to diminish US influence.
Beijing’s suggestions are part of efforts to expand its influence in the South China Sea, which it claims almost entirely, and push back at Washington which has backed countries with overlapping claims to the waters.
A code of conduct between Beijing and Asean to govern behaviour in the strategic sea has been years in the making.
The draft document outlines different countries’ bargaining positions as they work towards an agreement, and analysts said it represented some initial progress.
In the text, Vietnam offers the strongest opposition to Beijing’s activities – calling for countries to stop building artificial islands and establishing military installations.
But there was little sign of serious resistance from other countries, signalling how opposition to China’s aggressive expansion in the resource-rich waters has ebbed in recent years in South-East Asia.
At a meeting of foreign ministers in Singapore yesterday, Beijing and Asean announced they had agreed on the negotiating text for the code.
Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, who is chairing the meeting, called the draft a “major achievement”.
“The code of conduct is meant to ... ensure that peace, stability, confidence is built up so that we can continue to make collective progress between Asean and China while we take time to resolve the territorial disputes,” he said.
However, it was too early to say when negotiations would be complete, he added.
Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam have rival claims to China’s in the sea.
Tensions have escalated in recent years due to Beijing building artificial islands that can host military bases.
Meanwhile the US – traditionally the dominant military power in the area – has more frequently carried out patrols aimed at ensuring freedom of navigation.
In the draft text, Beijing suggests that China and the 10 Asean states should carry out joint military exercises regularly.
However, the drills should not involve countries outside the region “unless the parties concerned are notified beforehand and express no objection”.
Beijing also suggested that China and Asean could carry out joint oil and gas exploration but again proposed that firms from countries outside the region be excluded.
“We believe that without any disturbances from the outside, code of conduct consultations will accelerate,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told reporters.
“We have made leapfrog progress in advancing Asean-China relations from quantity to quality,” he added, saying the first joint maritime exercises would be held in October.
Opposition has weakened with analysts saying that countries are keen to attract Chinese investment and are worried about US commitment to the region under President Donald Trump.