South China Sea
CHINA / Military – PLA Southern Theater Command organizes a joint sea and air patrol in SCS Saturday: theater command spokesperson
PLA Southern Theater Command organized a joint sea and air patrol in the South China Sea on Saturday, Senior Colonel Tian Junli, a spokesperson for the PLA Southern Theater Command, stated on Sunday, emphasizing that any military activities that stir up trouble in the South China Sea and create hotspot issues are fully under control.
In a statement released by the WeChat official account of the PLA Southern Theater Command, Tian said that the Philippines’ act of rallying countries from outside the region to organize so-called joint patrols escalated security risks in the South China Sea and undermined regional peace and stability.
The Philippines and Japan conducted a joint maritime exercise Saturday in an area of the South China Sea, Kyodo News reported.
The troops of the theater command continue to maintain a high level of alert to resolutely defend the national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, Tian said.
(source: Global Times è China)
Chinese FM strongly opposes Vietnam’s unilateral claims on the South China Sea
Vietnam unilaterally presented to the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) its Submission on the Limits of the Extended Continental Shelf in the South China Sea. The claims made by Vietnam cover parts of China’s Nansha Qundao, which infringes on China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Thursday.
China firmly opposes it and has made serious protests to Vietnam, said Lin.
The claims violate international law including the UN Charter and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and breach the Agreement on Basic Principles Guiding the Settlement of Sea-related Issues between China and Vietnam and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea jointly signed by China and ASEAN countries, including Vietnam, said Lin.
According to the Rules of Procedure of the CLCS, submissions will not be considered where a dispute exists, which means the CLCS will not examine or qualify relevant submissions of Vietnam and the Philippines on delimitation. Such submissions do not have any practical effect but will only accentuate differences and exacerbate frictions, which will in no way help resolve the disputes, according to the spokesperson.
US, Philippine, India, and Taiwan now willing to take the risk to fight China in South China Sea
South China Sea tensions have reached a crisis point after the US, Philippines and Taiwan took the risk to stop China’s growth in the region.
As well as showcasing Washington’s strength to Beijing, the show of force was also intended to show allies the US was still the leading power.
Heated up: China launched a monstrous missile as a warning to US destroyers in South China Sea
(source: Military Today News)
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