China is provoking tensions in the South China Sea by
establishing a new city on a disputed island. But with the rule of law
and diplomacy failing to provide a solution, what lengths will China go
to to protect its territorial claims?
On Friday, China named two senior military generals to head a
garrison in the
South China Sea - on a group of islands also claimed by
Vietnam and Taiwan.
"This is kind of a chain reaction and it is difficult to say who provoked whom."
- Weixing Richard Hu, an associate professor at the University of Hong Kong |
The US has criticised the move, saying it is against measures that
are seen as potential threats. But calls for dialogue are being ignored
and tensions in the most disputed waters in the world are once again
escalating.
The city, called Xansha, has a supermarket, a bank and a hospital - but very little else. Indeed, it has only 1,000 inhabitants.
Xiao Jie, the mayor of Xansha, told those attending the ceremony to
mark the birth of China's newest city: "The establishment of Xansha city
is a wise decision made by the party and the government of China to
protect the sovereign rights of China and to strengthen the protection
and the development of the natural resources."
China seized the Paracel Islands in 1974 after a small but bloody
conflict with the then South Vietnamese. Their importance lies in the
fact that the waters around them contain rich fishing grounds and
potentially vast oil and gas reserves.
"This is not
just about who owns what. But it is also about power and status, not
only at the regional level but at the international level."
- Alessio Patalano, the director of the Asian Security and Warfare Research Group |
But the Paracel Islands are not the only disputed territory in the
South China Sea. The Spratly Islands and the Scarborough Shoal are
contested by six countries, including China, the Philippines and
Vietnam.
The South China Sea, which contains hundreds of small islands, islets
and rocks, covers an area of over three million square kilometres.
The International Crisis Group, a leading global think tank, has said
in a report that the chances of a peaceful resolution to the dispute
are diminishing. Without a consensus, it says the tensions in the South
China Sea could easily spill over into armed conflict.
So, as China raises the Chinese flag in Xansha, has it also raised
the tensions in the South China Sea? And why is China making these
seemingly very provocative moves right now? (ALJAZEERA) |
Post A Comment:
0 comments:
Give your comment.