Obama demands that Beijing halt construction work in S China Sea

MANILA — United States President ­Barack Obama has demanded that China end its construction activities on disputed islands in the South China Sea, upping the pressure on Beijing at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Manila.

Ignoring Chinese President Xi Jinping’s calls for the 21-nation meeting of Asia-Pacific leaders to focus on economic ties, Mr Obama today (Nov 18) called for “bold steps to lower tensions” between China and its South-east Asian neighbours.

In comments clearly targeted at Beijing, he said those steps should ­include “pledging to halt further reclamation, new construction, and militarisation”. In response, Beijing said the US President should not get ­involved in disputes in the South China Sea.

“The United States should stop playing up the South China Sea ­issue, stop heightening tensions in the South China Sea and stop complicating disputes in the South China Sea,” Mr Hong Lei, a Foreign Ministry spokesman, said at a regular press briefing in Beijing. “No country has the right to point fingers” at China’s construction activities, he added.

Despite international warnings, China has continued in the past year with a dredging programme that has dumped millions of tonnes of sand and coral onto seven features in the Spratly Islands, creating at least 1,170ha of land. Regional nations, rattled by China’s increasing assertiveness in the strategic waterway, are looking to Washington for support. 

The US last month sent a guided missile destroyer within the 12-nautical-mile territorial limit of Subi Reef, one of China’s man-made features in the Spratlys, where satellite images have shown it is building a runway long enough to accommodate military planes. China has repeatedly insisted its construction activities are civilian in nature.

“We’re not claimants ourselves but we fully support a process in which, through international laws and ­international norms, these issues are ­resolved,” said Mr Obama after meeting Philippine President Benigno Aquino on the sidelines of the APEC Summit. “The freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea must be upheld,” he said, backing ­Manila’s decision to seek UN arbitration in its territorial disputes in the South China Sea with Beijing. 

“Together, we support a rule-based order in the region, which is critical to regional security and the global economy,” said Mr Obama, adding that the US is “committed to ensuring maritime security in the region”.

Speaking at a press conference with Mr Obama, Mr Aquino said that “the freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea must be continuously upheld, consistent with international law”. “President Obama and I had a discussion on maritime security, including on the maritime disputes in the ­region, and how international law should ­remain the framework for ­behaviour of all countries and for the peaceful resolution of disputes.”

Shortly after his arrival on Tuesday, in a show of unflagging US support for their long-standing security alliance, Mr Obama toured the Philippine Navy’s flagship BRP Gregorio del Pilar, which formerly belonged to the US Coast Guard. He further ­announced more than US$250 million (S$356 million) in maritime aid to its South-east Asian allies and the transfer of two ships to the Philippine Navy, boosting Manila’s capability to patrol the disputed areas.

Today, he also stressed “iron-clad” US treaty obligations to ­defend the Philippines — and other allies — and vowed to boost military ties through new defence cooperation agreements. The US and the Philippines signed a pact last year giving American forces temporary access to selected military camps and permission to preposition assets, although the deal has been delayed by a challenge before the Philippine Supreme Court.

On the economic front, Mr Aquino said that during the meeting with Mr Obama, he conveyed a “keen interest” in the Philippines joining the US-led regional trade accord, the Trans-­Pacific Partnership. “We hope that the US, as one of our most important economic partners, can assist us in the process,” he said. Mr Obama welcomed the Philippines’ interest in the new free trade framework. AGENCIES