July 22, 1999
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| July 22, 1999 | atimes.com | |
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| Southeast Asia Sinking could scuttle new Spratlys formula SINGAPORE - A new proposal by the Philippines tocalm tensions over the disputed Spratly Islands has run into earlytrouble with what Manila officials call the ''accidental''sinking of a Chinese fishing vessel in the area. The proposal is to be tabled by the Philippines, the countrywith the weakest military among the six claimants to the Spratlysin the South China Sea, at this week's meeting of foreignministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Manila is calling for a regional ''code of conduct'' specifying howparties to the territorial dispute shouldbehave in the area, and what acts should or should not beundertaken in order not to fuel tensions. So far, ASEAN agreements to maintain the status quo in theSpratlys ''have not been able to deter an escalation of thesituation in the South China Sea,'' a Filipinodiplomat said as ASEAN officials began gathering for a ministerial-level meeting Thursday. Apart from China and the Philippines, the claimants to part or all of the Spratlys are Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Brunei. Among the prohibited acts in the code - which proponents hopeall ASEAN countries and Spratlys claimants will accede too - arethe assertion of any ''new claim or enlargement of an existingclaim,'' and the construction of ''new permanent structures." The code is designed to address actions taken by variousclaimants in the last few years, especiallywhat critics call ''creeping expansionism'' by China. China built structures on the Philippine-claimed MischiefReef in 1995, which it called ''typhoon shelters'' for itsfishermen. Beijing fortified thesestructures in 1998, despite expressions of concern by thePhilippine government. Malaysia responded by building permanent structures onInvestigator Shoal. Manila's idea, believed to be backed by Vietnam, isfor ASEAN and other countries to agree on the regional code ofconduct and then ask China to sign it sometime in the future. But these efforts to engage China are likely to be complicated by theJuly 19 collision between Philippine Navy ships and a Chinesefishing vessel. ''It will have a negative impact,'' a Filipino diplomatconceded. Local reports said a Philippine Navy ship collidedwith a wooden-hulled Chinese vessel after giving chase and firingwarning shots. The Chinese fishermen had allegedly been poaching inside thePhilippines' 200-mile exclusive economic zone off the Spratlys. Filipino officials have apologized for the incident - anembarrassment for a government that promised this would not happenagain after a similar incident in May.''It was unfortunate that the vessel was sunk,'' Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado said. He added that sea conditions and poor visibility at dusk alsohelped cause the collision. The nine Chinese fishermen on board were rescued by fellow Chinese on another boat. China has expressed shock over the sinking. Chinese foreign ministryspokesman Zhang Qiyue called it a ''very serious incident." ''Chinese fishermen were doing normal work in traditionalfisheries,'' Zhang said Tuesday, saying the Philippine Navy hadgone against ''defenseless fishermen." The proposed code of conduct is an offshoot of ASEAN's Plan ofAction, adopted in December 1998 in Hanoi, and a 1992 ASEANdeclaration that urged all parties to ''exercise restraint and notto resort to force'' in the Spratlys dispute. The Philippines already has bilateral codes with China andVietnam defining the principles of a code of conduct in the SouthChina Sea, but the new proposal would widen it to a common set ofrules on acceptable behavior in the area. (Inter Press Service) | |||||||||
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