In latest blow, Asean won’t issue statement on tribunal ruling

MANILA/BEIJING — The Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean) will not issue a statement on the rejection of Chinese territorial claims in the South China Sea by an international tribunal, said regional diplomats on Thursday (July 14) — the latest setback for the grouping, whose unity has been strained by diplomatic pressure from Beijing.

Asean had weighed whether to speak out on Tuesday’s ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, said South-east Asian diplomats with knowledge of the matter. But the 10-member grouping could not find common ground, they said, blaming the no-comment on pressure by Beijing. “Asean officials had prepared a draft text but there was no agreement to release a joint statement,” said a South-east Asian diplomat, adding that China was believed to have leaned on its Asean allies Laos and Cambodia to prevent a statement in the highly charged affair. The grouping makes decisions based on consultation and consensus rather than voting.

“Some Asean countries are definitely not happy. Beijing’s action can be seen as interference in Asean’s centrality,” said the source.

Chinese pressure was blamed last month for a startling diplomatic U-turn by Asean, which swiftly disowned a joint statement released by Malaysia after a Special Asean-China Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Yunnan.

That statement had expressed alarm over Beijing’s activities in the South China Sea. The fiasco highlighted the bloc’s inability to maintain a united front on the issue. China claims nearly all of the strategic sea — home to some of the world’s most important shipping routes — and has steadily strengthened its toehold by converting reefs and sandbars into islands.

The Philippines brought an international arbitration case over China’s growing assertiveness, resulting in this week’s thorough repudiation of Beijing by The Hague tribunal, which said Chinese claims had no legal basis. China has in turn rejected the ruling.

Asean members the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei, as well as Taiwan, have competing claims to parts of the resource-rich sea.

While the Philippines and Vietnam have been particularly critical of China, Laos and Cambodia are generally regarded as preferring to side with their giant neighbour and benefactor. Laos holds Asean’s chair this year.

Asked about the lack of an Asean statement, Philippine Foreign Affairs department spokesman Charles Jose said yesterday: “Kindly direct your query to the chairman, Laos, because it is the one consolidating views and positions, being the chair.”

Beijing yesterday continued with its strong rhetoric as it faced pressure to accept the ruling. “If anyone wants to take any provocative action against China’s security interests based on the award, China will make a decisive response,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang.

Chinese state media reported that two Chinese civilian aircraft on Wednesday landed successfully on two newly built airstrips on Mischief and Subi reefs. China also said it had completed four lighthouses on disputed reefs and was launching a fifth.

Vietnam Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Hai Binh yesterday demanded Beijing cease actions that complicate the situation. “Despite the opposition of Vietnam and concerns by the international community, those actions conducted by China have seriously violated Vietnam’s sovereignty and are unlawful and cannot change the fact about Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos,’’ Mr Binh told reporters. AGENCIES