While Russia’s war against Ukraine and a wavering transatlantic alliance drew the world’s attention at this year’s Munich Security Conference, sparks also flew over claims in the South China Sea as debate involving participants representing Beijing and Manila dug into their positions in the region.
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China’s former deputy foreign minister Fu Ying said in a panel discussion, titled “Making Waves: Maritime Tensions in the Indo-Pacific”, that Beijing would not accept occupation by the Philippines of new features that the Southeast Asian country has constructed in the South China Sea. Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo was part of the panel.
“China cannot agree for the Philippines to occupy Second Thomas Shoal and Sabina Shoal, because that is a violation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea,” Fu said, referring to a non-binding document signed by Beijing and Asean countries.
Fu insisted that the document’s language – in particular, a pledge to “not to make more moves” – was watered down at Manila’s request to entice the country to sign.
The declaration asks signatories to exercise “self-restraint” when conducting activities that would “complicate or escalate disputes”, and refrain from building on the sea’s uninhabited features.
Further actions by Manila, including construction efforts to reinforce the BRP Sierra Madre, a World War II-era tank landing ship deliberately positioned on the Second Thomas Shoal in 1999, have been denounced by Beijing as unacceptable.
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