South China Sea Strategies for other nations (Not China)

登太平島美國感失望 馬英九：為促進和平　2016-01-28 23:20

台灣的馬英九總統上任以來首次到南沙太平島視察，提出落實他所提出的「南海和平倡議」。他強調登島並非是去叫囂，而是希望和平。 馬英九率領相關官員及學者登上太平島，是他就任總統八年來首次登島。他在島上逗留一個上午，期間向派駐島上的官兵發言。提出落實他去年所作出「南海和平倡議」的「三要三不要」，分別是「要合作、不要衝突」，建立合作及開發機制，將主權問題留待日後和平解決。而各方在分配資源上「要共享、不要獨佔」，免得損害任何一方利益。在推進合作時，則要從容易達成共識的方面入手，「要務實、不要僵持」。 馬英九表示：「我們解決南海爭議的具體主張，則是主權在我、擱置爭議、和平互惠、共同開發。」 馬英九又反駁菲律賓指太平島是岩礁的說法，指島上設施足以維持人類居住及經濟生活，符合聯合國海洋法公約對「島嶼」的定義。馬英九巡視了太平島上多個發展項目，又從島上寄信，下午回台北。 對於美國國務院表示對他登島的決定感到失望，馬英九不認為這樣做，是導致關係更緊張：「主權不容易解決，爭議也許可以擱置，但是資源可以來分享。所以我們跟美國在大方向上應該是一致的。我去並不是要去叫囂，去罵那個國家說你要怎麼樣。我們一切的規劃都是為了促進和平。」 馬英九又表示邀請當選總統的民進黨主席蔡英文同行是尊重制度，對於民進黨不派人一起去感到很意外。馬英九強調，登島主要是趁農曆新年臨近，慰勞駐島人員，但外界普遍視為「宣示主權」。 在北京，外交部表示南沙群島自古以來是中國領土，兩岸有責任維護中華民族祖產。

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Teng Ma Taiping Island US disappointed: for peace 2016-01-28 23:20
President Ma Ying-jeou of Taiwan for the first time since he took office to inspect Nansha Taiping Island, propose ways to implement his proposed "South China Sea peace initiative." He stressed that the landing is not to clamor, but hope for peace. Ma Ying-jeou led officials and academics boarded Taiping Island, he became president eight years for the first time landing. He stayed on the island a morning, speaking to soldiers stationed on the island during. Propose ways to implement "the South China Sea Peace Initiative" in "three to three don'ts" he made last year, are "to cooperate, not conflict," the establishment and development of cooperation mechanisms, will be left to the peaceful settlement of the issue of sovereignty in the future. The parties "want to share, not exclusive" in the allocation of resources, so that harm the interests of any party. In pursuing cooperation aspect is easy to reach a consensus from the start, "to be pragmatic, not a stalemate." Ma said: "We resolve specific claims the South China Sea dispute, it is sovereignty in me, putting aside disputes, peace, reciprocity and common development." Ma Ying-jeou has refuted the Philippines refers to Taiping Island are rocks argument refers to the island facilities are sufficient to sustain human habitation and economic life , in line with the United Nations Convention on the "island" definition. Ma Ying-jeou visited the Pacific island a number of development projects, and from the island to send a letter, in the afternoon back to Taipei. For the US State Department expressed disappointment decided he landed on the island, Ma Ying-jeou does not think to do so led to more intense relationship: "sovereignty is not easy to solve, the dispute may be set aside, but the resources so that we can share with the United States in the general direction of the should be consistent. I'm not going to clamor, to criticize that country say how you like. All of our planning is to promote peace. "President-elect Ma Ying-jeou also said that the invitation of the Democratic Progressive Party Chairman Tsai Ing-wen is respected peer system, the DPP does not send people to go to surprise. Ma stressed that the landing was mainly to take advantage of the Lunar New Year approaching, reward personnel stationed in the island, but it is widely regarded as "declaration of sovereignty." In Beijing, the Foreign Ministry said the Nansha Islands are Chinese territory since ancient times, both sides have a responsibility to safeguard the nation patrimony.

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U.S. Navy Destroyer Sails Near Disputed Island in South China Sea

A U.S. Navy destroyer has sailed within 12 nautical miles of Triton Island, an island claimed by China in the Paracel Islands chain in the South China Sea.

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says the warship’s passage was a freedom of navigation operation intended to “challenge excessive maritime claims of parties that claim the Paracel Islands” which are also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan.

“I can confirm the

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conducted a freedom of navigation operation in the South China Sea on January 30 specifically in the vicinity of Triton Island in the Paracel Islands,” said Mark Wright, a Defense Department spokesman.

The destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54) “transited in innocent passage within 12 nautical miles of Triton Island,” said Wright. There were no Chinese Navy vessels in the vicinity at the time of the Curtis Wilbur’s
transit.

Wright added, ”This operation challenged attempts by the three claimants, China, Taiwan and Vietnam, to restrict navigation rights and freedoms around the features they claim by policies that require prior permission or notification of transit within territorial seas. The excessive claims regarding Triton Island are inconsistent with international law as reflected in the Law of the Sea Convention.”

None of the three countries was notified by the U.S. of the destroyer’s transit, “which is consistent with our normal process and international law,” said Wright.

“This operation was about challenging excessive maritime claims that restrict the rights and freedoms of the United States and others, not about territorial claims to land features,” according to the spokesman.

The United States does not take a position on the competing land sovereignty claims in the Paracels, which were seized by China from

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in 1974.

However, Wright said, “The United State does take a strong position on protecting the rights, freedoms, and lawful uses of the sea and airspace guaranteed to all countries, and that all maritime claims must comply with international law.”

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confusion said:

So, the US Navy has performed another FONOP, this time around the Paracel Islands, which is much closer to the Chinese mainland. This move comes very close to directing challenging China's claims to the Paracel Islands and is an escalation of US counter claims against China's sovereignty claims in the SCS. It's rather disingenuous for the article to state that none of the 3 claimants were notified, since the PROC has de facto control over the Paracels, a fact that's conveniently ignored in this article.

It sounds like the Chinese Navy and coast guard were caught completely off guard by this FONOP, since Chinese vessels were nowhere to be found - certainly sends a message.

It'll be interesting to see how China responds to this latest move by the US.

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confusion said:

So, the US Navy has performed another FONOP, this time around the Paracel Islands, which is much closer to the Chinese mainland. This move comes very close to directing challenging China's claims to the Paracel Islands and is an escalation of US counter claims against China's sovereignty claims in the SCS. It's rather disingenuous for the article to state that none of the 3 claimants were notified, since the PROC has de facto control over the Paracels, a fact that's conveniently ignored in this article.

It sounds like the Chinese Navy and coast guard were caught completely off guard by this FONOP, since Chinese vessels were nowhere to be found - certainly sends a message.

It'll be interesting to see how China responds to this latest move by the US.

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The People's Liberation Army sent warnings and drove away a US navy destroyer intruding into Chinese territorial waters of Xisha Islands in the South China Sea, the Ministry of National Defense said on Saturday.

Earlier on Saturday, the USS Curtis Wilbur guided missile destroyer violated China's laws by intruding into Chinese territorial waters, the ministry's spokesman Yang Yujun said in a written statement issued on Saturday night.

"The Chinese troops stationed at the islands and naval ships and airplanes made an immediate response, took countermeasures and conducted identification and verification against the US warship," Yang said.

The US action was "a serious violation of law, it damaged the peace and security of relevant waters and good order, and it is not helpful to regional peace and stability" and the Chinese ministry "expresses resolute opposition", Yang said.

Yang noted that the US side has sent warships or aircraft into China's relevant waters or airspace multiple times, leading to brushes between the two militaries.

"Such actions are technically very unprofessional, they are irresponsible to the safety of servicemen of both sides, and are extremely dangerous in regard to (potential) outcomes," Yang said.

The Chinese military will "take all the necessary measures to firmly safeguard national sovereignty and security no matter what provocative actions are made by the US side", Yang said.

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confusion said:

So, the US Navy has performed another FONOP, this time around the Paracel Islands, which is much closer to the Chinese mainland. This move comes very close to directing challenging China's claims to the Paracel Islands and is an escalation of US counter claims against China's sovereignty claims in the SCS. It's rather disingenuous for the article to state that none of the 3 claimants were notified, since the PROC has de facto control over the Paracels, a fact that's conveniently ignored in this article.

It sounds like the Chinese Navy and coast guard were caught completely off guard by this FONOP, since Chinese vessels were nowhere to be found - certainly sends a message.

It'll be interesting to see how China responds to this latest move by the US.

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Brumby said:

The official release stated that the USN conducted innocent passage. Such a passage is provided by UNCLOS which China is a signatory. The fact that the USN specifically stated it was innocent passage is already a victory for China simply because such passage implicitly knowledge it is territorial waters. The fact that China has de facto control over this waters mean for all intend and purpose is recognition by the US over the stater of affairs.

How is this FONOP challenging China''s claims? Personally I think this FONOP is a backward step because innocent passage by definition does not challenge anything but in fact affirms a state of affairs.

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Brumby said:

The official release stated that the USN conducted innocent passage. Such a passage is provided by UNCLOS which China is a signatory. The fact that the USN specifically stated it was innocent passage is already a victory for China simply because such passage implicitly knowledge it is territorial waters. The fact that China has de facto control over this waters mean for all intend and purpose is recognition by the US over the stater of affairs.

How is this FONOP challenging China''s claims? Personally I think this FONOP is a backward step because innocent passage by definition does not challenge anything but in fact affirms a state of affairs.

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An American guided missile destroyer conducted a freedom of navigation operation within 12 nautical miles of a disputed island claimed by China in the South China Sea Paracel island chain, Pentagon officials confirmed to USNI News on Saturday morning.

USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG-54) came within 12 nautical miles of Triton Island in the Paracels — without prior notification — in an early Saturday morning operation local time (late Friday night EST), according to a statement from the Department of Defense.

“This operation challenged attempts by the three claimants, China, Taiwan and Vietnam, to restrict navigation rights and freedoms around the features they claim by policies that require prior permission or notification of transit within territorial seas,” Pentagon spokesman Mark Wright said in a Saturday morning statement.
“The excessive claims regarding Triton Island are inconsistent with international law as reflected in the [U.N.] Law of the Sea Convention.”
Triton Island is administered by mainland China which seized administrative control of the island from the then-government of South Vietnam in a 1974 following a two-day naval engagement — the Battle of the Paracel Islands. Triton Island is also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan.

China

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around the Paracel chain —

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— much like the maritime boundary around the islands that make up Indonesia, James Kraska, professor in the Stockton Center for the Study of International Law at the Naval War College, told USNI News Saturday morning. China also requires prior notification of foreign warships before it comes with in a certain distance of its South China Sea claims — which is not a right enshrined in international maritime law.

Kraska said the decades old Chinese claims around the islands run counter to the definition of straight baselines in the Law of the Sea Convention and international maritime law.

“We’ve challenged [the baselines], but those were overflights,” he said.
“This is the first time in a long long while there has been a surface challenge of the illegal baseline.”

Unlike October’s FON op in the Spratly Islands — in which USS Lassen (DDG-82) conducted an innocent passage transit within 12 nautical miles of a Chinese artificial island on Subi Reef in deference to another feature that overlapped — there was no ambiguity to what excessive claim the U.S. challenged, Kraska said.

“China has established unlawful strait baselines around all the islands — which is illegal,” he said. He added Wilbur’s passage is a “more sound assertion” of international rights of transit than the message sent after the Lassen passage past Subi Reef.
Experts and lawmakers alike were confused when news of the Subi Reef innocent passage FON op broke as to what exactly the U.S. was challenging to the point where Senate Armed Services Committee chair Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.)

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.

According to Kraska, the key now for the U.S. is make the FON ops in the region a more regular occurrence.

“The longer you wait you challenge something, the bigger deal it becomes from a political crisis standpoint because it looks out of the ordinary,” he said.
“Now we have to return to normalcy where all countries are accustomed to the norms that are going to be followed.”

Earlier this week in Washington, U.S. Pacific Command commander Adm. Harry Harris the U.S. would conduct more FON ops in the South China Sea.

“You will see more of these,”

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.

China did not immediately issue a reaction to the operation but Wilbur’s passage comes days after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met with Chinese president Xi Jinping and foreign minister Wang Yi in China.

According to state controlled press reports from a Jan. 27 press conference, Wang said the the U.S. and China should treat the South China Sea claims issue in a, “constructive way and ensure that the big picture of cooperation between China and the US will not be interfered.”

The following is the complete Jan. 30 statement on USS Curtis Wilbur’s freedom of navigation mission past Triton Island from the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

I can confirm the Department of Defense conducted a freedom of navigation operation in the South China Sea on Jan 30 (Jan 29 EST), specifically in the vicinity of Triton Island in the Paracel Islands, to challenge excessive maritime claims of parties that claim the Paracel Islands.

This operation challenged attempts by the three claimants, China, Taiwan and Vietnam, to restrict navigation rights and freedoms around the features they claim by policies that require prior permission or notification of transit within territorial seas. The excessive claims regarding Triton Island are inconsistent with international law as reflected in the Law of the Sea Convention.

During the operation, the USS Curtis Wilbur, (DDG 54) transited in innocent passage within 12 nautical miles of Triton Island.

This operation was about challenging excessive maritime claims that restrict the rights and freedoms of the United States and other, not about territorial claims to land features. The United States takes no position on competing sovereignty claims between the parties to naturally-formed land features in the South China Sea. The United State does take a strong position on protecting the rights, freedoms, and lawful uses of the sea and airspace guaranteed to all countries, and that all maritime claims must comply with international law.

No claimants were notified prior to the transit, which is consistent with our normal process and international law.

This operation demonstrates, as President Obama and Secretary Carter have stated, the United States will fly, sail and operate anywhere international law allows. That is true in the South China Sea, as in other places around the globe.

Since 1979, the U.S. Freedom of Navigation program has demonstrated non-acquiescence to excessive maritime claims by coastal states all around the world. The program includes both consultations and representation by U.S. diplomats and operational activities by U.S. military forces.

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Equation said:

How do you know for sure that the US Navy FONOP wasn't being tracked? Just because there wasn't any PLAN ships or coast guard to be seen doesn't mean the US ships were being watched either by Chinese satellites and subs.

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