(TibetanReview.net, Mar27’24) —China has on Mar 26 called on India to respect its sovereignty claims over the disputed South China Sea (SCS) after the latter backed Philippines’ maritime sovereignty based on international law. The bitter row comes as China is engaged in a war of words with India over Arunachal Pradesh that it claims as Zangnan (or southern Tibet) on the basis of its occupation of neighbouring Tibet.
“Maritime disputes are issues between countries concerned and any third party is not in a position to interfere. We urge the relevant side to face facts of the issues of the SCS, respect the sovereignty and maritime interests of China and the efforts made by the regional countries in upholding peace and stability in the SCS,” businesstoday.in Mar 26 quoted Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian as saying.
Lin was responding to a question on India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s remarks that India supported the sovereignty of the Philippines. The latter was on an official visit to Manila and held talks with Philippines Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo.
“As two democracies committed to a rules-based order, look forward to intensifying our cooperation …. UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) 1982 is particularly important in that regard as the Constitution of the seas. All parties must adhere to it in its entirety, both in letter and in spirit. I take this opportunity to firmly reiterate India’s support to the Philippines for upholding its national sovereignty,” Jaishankar has said at a press conference.
However, unlike after their last meeting in India in Jun 2023, the ministers have stopped short of asking China specifically to abide by a 2016 legally binding ruling that strongly refuted China’s expansive claims in its dispute with the Philippines. India had then joined Manila for the first time, as stated in a joint statement, in categorically asking China to abide by the 2016 Arbitral Award on the SCS that Beijing continues to ignore.
The UNCLOS arbitration tribunal had called China’s nine-dash line, under which it claims sovereignty over 90% of SCS waters, and its reclamation activities in the Philippine waters, unlawful. China’s claim severely limits the maritime territories of The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.
Jaishankar has said that as a nation deeply invested in that region because of its Act East policy and Indo-Pacific vision, India follows all developments with great interest. “We are strongly supportive of ASEAN’s centrality, cohesion and unity. We are also convinced that the progress and prosperity of this region is best served by staunch adherence to a rules-based order,” the timesofindia.com Mar 26 quoted the minister as saying, adding he and Manalo also discussed their shared interests in ensuring maritime safety, given their contributions to the global shipping industry.
India has been looking to ramp up bilateral ties with the Philippines, most notably in the defence sector, and has offered Manila a concessional line of credit that could help it meet its requirements. Apart from trade, defence and maritime cooperation, the two countries are also cooperating in areas like health, food security, education and science and technology, the report said.