RP-China Ties Chill Over Spratlys Law
Posted on September 22, 2009
Filed Under Facts, News, Political | 6 Comments
A Philippine law passed last year that spelt out Manila’s claims to parts of the disputed Spratly Islands has had a “negative” effect on relations with China, Beijing’s envoy said Tuesday.
The “baselines act” signed by President Gloria Arroyo spells out Manila’s claims to parts of the group of islands and atolls in the South China Sea that is also claimed in whole or in part by Brunei, China, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam.
Signing the law “turned out to be very negative for bilateral relations,” Ambassador Liu Jianchao told foreign correspondents.
“Our stand is indisputable sovereignty by China over the islands in the South China Sea and adjacent waters,” Liu said. He said Beijing had made its stand “very clear” to the Philippine government and was expecting Manila to resolve the issue.
The baselines law “encroaches” on China’s sovereignty and was a violation of a code of conduct adopted by all claimants to refrain from making unilateral moves that could disturb the status quo in the area.
Liu however said China was still for the “peaceful settlement” of the overlapping claims, even as he acknowledged this could take a long time to resolve. The ambassador said claims to the islands were a bilateral issue between China and the countries involved.
“We are opposed to the internationalization of the dispute, or its regionalization,” he said. “We are ready to work with countries on a bilateral basis.”
Liu said the rival claimants were however on the right track by agreeing to jointly conduct studies in the area and to possibly share vast natural resources or oil reputed to be lying under the islands.
China was ready to listen to proposals by its smaller neighbors on joint cooperation and development in the area, he said. “I think it will take some time. We can’t do it very soon, so we are ready to have very serious and business-like consultations with other countries concerned,” he said.
There have been deadly armed confrontations among naval forces by claimants to the Spratlys, called Nansha islands by China, in the past.
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