Page 2 of 2 China all at sea over Japan island row
By Peter J Brown
In 2005, Japan mounted a large address plaque there so that everyone would
immediately know on arrival that they had reached "1 Okinotori Island,
Ogasawara Village, Tokyo." Soon after this was put in place, Tokyo governor
Shintaro Ishihara was photographed kissing the plaque and waving the Japanese
flag over it. He kept his life jacket on at the same time. [4]
As China attempts to convince the rest of Asia that what Japan is now
undertaking actually harms its neighbors, Vietnam shakes its head.
"If Japan's efforts succeed, other countries will not be allowed to fish or
share other rich natural resources in a region that is
currently regarded as international high seas," said Wang Hanling, an expert in
maritime affairs and international law at the Chinese Academy of Social
Sciences. "Besides, for some neighbors such as China and the Republic of Korea,
the fleets' freedom of navigation along some key routes in the area will also
be hampered. That will pose risks to their national security."
In its dealings with Japan, China has even raised the issue of fairness at
times, a tactic which must amuse Hanoi.
"Japan's claim over Okinotori, which lies between Taiwan and Guam, is in a
strategically important position for Japan's benefit," said Jin Yongming, a
researcher at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. "But the move has harmed
other countries' navigation interests and marine survey in the sea waters
around Okinotori, and is contrary to the principle of fairness." [4]
Why China is beginning to realize that the stance it has adopted here might
backfire is becoming increasingly apparent. Vietnam still claims sovereignty
over the Paracel Islands - China's Xisha Islands - in the South China Sea,
while the Spratlys, or Nansha Islands as China calls, them are claimed by
China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei and Malaysia.
In early 2009, or perhaps earlier, Vietnam started picking apart the "reefs and
islands" argument raised by China supposedly under UNCLOS rules in its case
against Japan, and said in effect, "Wait a minute, China, you are arguing the
exact opposite regarding our claims in the East Sea."
One minute, argues Vietnam, China asserts that Okinotori cannot have an
exclusive economic zone or determine the limits of a continental shelf because
it is an atoll, reef or rock and does not have an independent economic life,
and the next minute China asserts that so-called "islands" in the East Sea all
have independent economic life so they can support a claim to exclusive
economic zones and continental shelves of 200 nautical miles covering 80% of
the East Sea.
None of this rings true, or not to the extent that it allows China to proceed
down the path it is taking. Ownership of the islands in the East Sea is really
not central to the outcome because Vietnam contends that "no country can claim
up to 80% of the East Sea on the basis of a claim to ownership of these
islands". [5]
In other words, look closely and one can detect dozens of little "Okinotoris"
dotting the South China Sea. China is just hoping that the rest of the world -
at least the rest of the world which has been following China's attempt to
derail Japan - will overlook them.
"It seems as though Vietnam is signaling that it would be satisfied with
sovereignty over the islands and to leave most of the South China Sea as high
seas. The implication of Vietnam's perspective, were Vietnam to consolidate its
claims at China's expense, is that most of the South China Sea would remain
open for all states to fish and extract seabed resources," said Dutton. "That
is not the effect of China's claims over the South China Sea."
At the same time, if China is attempting to counter this clever tactic by
Vietnam, it is not doing a very effective job. In fact, China appears to be
turning a blind eye to Vietnam here.
"This position presents China with an additional dilemma that it has not yet
publicly begun to reconcile," said Dutton.
Beijing's decision to build a luxury resort in the Paracels in the South China
Sea has not helped the situation.
"[Vietnam] demanded in early January 2010 that China abandon the project, which
[it] said causes tension and further complicates the situation," said
Yoshikawa.
Still, when Chen Bingde, chief of the general staff of the Chinese People's
Liberation Army and a member of the Central Military Commission, met with
Nguyen Chi Vinh, Vietnam's deputy defense minister, in Beijing in early March,
there was no mention of this dispute, not publicly anyway.
China has been diligent in other maritime matters despite any protests
elsewhere. Just last month, for example, China finished work on the last of 13
permanent facilities on islands and reefs in the East China Sea as part of
another intensive EEZ extension and development process. A new lighthouse at
Waikejiao is the latest addition.
"Because Japan and China tend to look at foreign policy in a more
relationship-oriented manner - rather than Washington's event-driven policies -
if both countries are on good terms, which you can say for now, the Okinotori
Island issue will be taken care of so that it does not dampen the
relationship," said Yoshikawa.
Japan is not likely to suffer any consequences as it proceeds with its plans on
Okinotori.
"I do not see that happening for the foreseeable future as this is a peripheral
issue which is more likely to be affected by overall Sino-Japanese relations,"
said Yoshikawa.
Nevertheless, China has a very good reason for persisting in its efforts here,
regardless if it annoys Japan or not.
"There is not much that China can do about Japan's claim, given China's own
claims in the South China Sea," said Dutton. "However, China will probably
continue to diplomatically object to Japan's claim in order to preserve Chinese
freedom of military action in the waters surrounding Okinotori."
Head
Office: Unit B, 16/F, Li Dong Building, No. 9 Li Yuen Street East,
Central, Hong Kong Thailand Bureau:
11/13 Petchkasem Road, Hua Hin, Prachuab Kirikhan, Thailand 77110
