The 18th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) ended in July 2011 and its positive results were apparently satisfying for the 27 delegations who met in Bali last summer. The Assembly was composed by the 10 ASEAN countries and their 17 dialogue partners, such as China, USA, Europe, Russia, Japan.
However, even if China and its Southeast Asian partners signed a set of non-binding guidelines on the conduction of the open quarrel on South China Sea, many issues remain unsolved. The Us Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, expressed the american economic and political goals in the region, by focusing on the vital role of trade as a common field of discussion.
In few months the situation in South China Sea has heated up due to some incidents in the area, such as the open debate about the sovereignty on the Spratly and Paracel archipelagos. These islands are first claimed by China and Vietnam, but also Taiwan, Malaysia and Bruni are taking part in the discussion. Tensions between China and Vietnam exploded after that a Chinese ship cut the cables of a vietnamese survey vessel. In addition, China was also annoyed by the visit of Filipinos politicians in one of the Spratly Archipelago island.
Anyway, on July 21st, the Chinese Minister for Foreign Affairs Yang Jiechi and his ASEAN counterparts approved an agreement to make the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in South China Sea more effective and binding.
Someone said that this document is very important because it contributes in maintaining the peace in this region. For others, this papers is nothing else than an empty political statement.
At the beginning of June 2011, the former US Defense Secretary Robert Gates remarked the importance for American Government to maintain a tough military presence across Asia. Furthermore, the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton underlined the central and vital role of South China Sea (SCS) for global trade. All the East Asian countries, including the non-ASEAN countries, are strongly dependent on the sea lines of communication trough the SCS. The Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Kevin Rudd at the press conference held in Bali, affirmed that "more than 60 per cent of Australia's trade passes through the East Sea".
Someone said that this document is very important because it contributes in maintaining the peace in this region. For others, this papers is nothing else than an empty political statement.
At the beginning of June 2011, the former US Defense Secretary Robert Gates remarked the importance for American Government to maintain a tough military presence across Asia. Furthermore, the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton underlined the central and vital role of South China Sea (SCS) for global trade. All the East Asian countries, including the non-ASEAN countries, are strongly dependent on the sea lines of communication trough the SCS. The Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Kevin Rudd at the press conference held in Bali, affirmed that "more than 60 per cent of Australia's trade passes through the East Sea".
Until now a binding document about the South China Sea seems to be very far. But the actors directly involved, like Vietnam and the Philippines, are conscious of being unable to compete with China. They are raising their voices to obtain two different results. On one hand they want to create a front between ASEAN countries to counterbalance their big neighbor. On the other hand they try to obtain more financial support in order to improve their own military forces.
In fact, Japan decided to provide 500 billion JPY (more than 5 billion USD) to Mekong nations for implementing projects in all fields. South Korea also offered money to ASEAN countries under the ASEAN-Korea Specila Funds agreement.
This movement of milliond of dollars in some Southeastern Asia country is a clear effort to obtain a strong influence in a region where China has assumed a very active role. Under the ASEAN-China Infrastructure Fund, created in January 2010, Chinese government has committed 10 billion USD. China knows really well that it can count on the "loyalty" of countries like Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. In all these nations China has invested billions of dollars.
China is now capable of exercise a certain influence on Southeastern Asia, something that the United States are not able to match. With the ongoing financial and economic crisis that is effecting all the Western World more than the Eastern, the unresolved issues in the Mekong area, especially the South China Sea problem, can give China the opportunity of implementing a new political approach in the region. It is obvious that for the Chinese government will be fundamental to create a trustworthy sphere of influence that will only be sustainable throughout economic and financial support.
Nicola Zaninello
Sources: http://www.sudestasiatico.com
http://www.oecd.org/dev/communicationanddevelopment/45034060.pdf
As you said China is every year more and more influent in global development. His GDP is growing constantly and it is huge. China can count on a huge amount of money and she has understood that beside the military and political power, there is a smarter way to be influent around the world: money. With money China is buying the debt of many countries (such as US, South America and so on) to exert political influences. Even if China will not exert a direct political influence saying to other countries what to do, all the political decision of those countries will be affected by the “shadow” of China.
RispondiEliminaSo something that seems irrelevant like the sovereignty on two archipelagos become the symptom of a politic of development of influence around the world.
Very nice post!