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Why did the Philippines initiate the South China Sea Arbitration? (Video)

One more supporter to China's side.

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Sri Lanka supports China's stance on South China Sea issue
2016-07-09 08:40 | Xinhua | Editor: Huang Mingrui

The Sri Lankan government understands China's stance on the South China Sea issue and supports countries concerned in solving the maritime disputes through negotiation, Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera said on Friday.

He made the remarks when meeting with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Samaraweera said Sri Lanka supports countries directly concerned in addressing the sea disputes through negotiation based on international law and international practices.

Wang briefed him on China's stance on the South China Sea issue, stressing that China insists on peaceful settlement of the disputes through dialogue and negotiation.

As per the rights endowed by the international law, China does not accept or participate in the unilaterally-initiated arbitration by the Philippines, said the Chinese minister.

China will also not recognize or implement the so-called arbitral ruling, he added.

An arbitral tribunal at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague said it will hand down the ruling on July 12 after the Philippines unilaterally initiated an arbitration case against China in 2013 over disputes in the South China Sea.

China has reiterated that the tribunal has no jurisdiction over the case and the relevant subject-matter, and it should not have heard the case or rendered any "award."
 
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One more supporter to China's side.

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Sri Lanka supports China's stance on South China Sea issue
2016-07-09 08:40 | Xinhua | Editor: Huang Mingrui

The Sri Lankan government understands China's stance on the South China Sea issue and supports countries concerned in solving the maritime disputes through negotiation, Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera said on Friday.

He made the remarks when meeting with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Samaraweera said Sri Lanka supports countries directly concerned in addressing the sea disputes through negotiation based on international law and international practices.

Wang briefed him on China's stance on the South China Sea issue, stressing that China insists on peaceful settlement of the disputes through dialogue and negotiation.

As per the rights endowed by the international law, China does not accept or participate in the unilaterally-initiated arbitration by the Philippines, said the Chinese minister.

China will also not recognize or implement the so-called arbitral ruling, he added.

An arbitral tribunal at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague said it will hand down the ruling on July 12 after the Philippines unilaterally initiated an arbitration case against China in 2013 over disputes in the South China Sea.

China has reiterated that the tribunal has no jurisdiction over the case and the relevant subject-matter, and it should not have heard the case or rendered any "award."


@ahojunk - I find Xinhua headline 'misplaced enthusiasm'; what is attributed to the Sri Lankan FM sounds like Diplomatic-speak for not wanting to get drawn into this mess. He may well have supported China's position but its not clear from this article.

I'm a little confused about China's stand on this issue (disclaimer: I understand there is a lot being said in media/forums and we have to separate that from what the government says):

1. China has urged Philippines for bilateral discussions. If the issue is so black-and-white, what do you want to negotiate?

2. I remember reading recently "China claims support of 60 countries but only 7 have said so explicitly". Why aren't more of China's allies being vocal in their support? There have been some clear statements/resolutions from the other block

3. What will be China's position if UNCLOS verdict goes in its favor? What repercussions will a negative verdict have on China?

4. China is not threatening freedom of navigation for anyone in SCS. Some of its neighbors may be more concerned about incursions by Chinese fishing trawlers & the EEZ. Why not try to address those? Surely, you don't want to give US another reason to sit in your backyard.

Besides, I think the bigger worry for China should be the TPP.
 
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5 lighthouses on Nansha Islands aid navigation
Xinhua, July 11, 2016

China has completed the construction of four lighthouses on reefs in the South China Sea, and is building the fifth one, to aid sea navigation in the area, a Ministry of Transport official said on Sunday.

7427ea210acc18ed33f901.jpg
Photo taken on April 5, 2016 shows the lighthouse on Zhubi Reef of Nansha Islands in the South China Sea, south China. [Photo: Xinhua/Xing Guangli]

The four lighthouses on Huayang Reef, Chigua Reef, Zhubi Reef, and Yongshu Reef are already in operation and have significantly improved the security of vessels passing through waters in the area, said Xu Ruqing with the maritime affairs department under the Ministry of Transport.

Construction of the lighthouse on the Meiji Reef has finished its main part and further information will be released via navigation announcement, Xu said.

All of the five lighthouses are large and multi-functional with their heights between 50 meters to 55 meters. They are equipped with huge modern rotating lamp device and lanterns with a diameter of 4.5 meters. The lantern can send white light to as far as 22 nautical miles.

The five lighthouses equipped with automatic identification system (AIS) and very high frequency (VHF) stations can also work like a radiobeacon to assist navigation with information exchanges such as warnings and requests for help between the lighthouses and ships.

The construction and use of the five lighthouses demonstrated China's efforts to perform its international responsibilities and will contribute to navigation support, maritime search and rescue, navigation safety, fishery production, disaster prevention and relief and other services, according to Xu.

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China lights up the SCS.
 
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This video is from "China Uncensored". I would not give them a click, they don't deserve it.

"China Uncensored" and "Epoch Times" are well known China bashers with an agenda.

I suggest we ignore the garbage that they spew.

Still far better than CCTV
 
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5 lighthouses on Nansha Islands aid navigation
Xinhua, July 11, 2016

China has completed the construction of four lighthouses on reefs in the South China Sea, and is building the fifth one, to aid sea navigation in the area, a Ministry of Transport official said on Sunday.

7427ea210acc18ed33f901.jpg
Photo taken on April 5, 2016 shows the lighthouse on Zhubi Reef of Nansha Islands in the South China Sea, south China. [Photo: Xinhua/Xing Guangli]

The four lighthouses on Huayang Reef, Chigua Reef, Zhubi Reef, and Yongshu Reef are already in operation and have significantly improved the security of vessels passing through waters in the area, said Xu Ruqing with the maritime affairs department under the Ministry of Transport.

Construction of the lighthouse on the Meiji Reef has finished its main part and further information will be released via navigation announcement, Xu said.

All of the five lighthouses are large and multi-functional with their heights between 50 meters to 55 meters. They are equipped with huge modern rotating lamp device and lanterns with a diameter of 4.5 meters. The lantern can send white light to as far as 22 nautical miles.

The five lighthouses equipped with automatic identification system (AIS) and very high frequency (VHF) stations can also work like a radiobeacon to assist navigation with information exchanges such as warnings and requests for help between the lighthouses and ships.

The construction and use of the five lighthouses demonstrated China's efforts to perform its international responsibilities and will contribute to navigation support, maritime search and rescue, navigation safety, fishery production, disaster prevention and relief and other services, according to Xu.

***

China lights up the SCS.
Thanks.... That should really help the carriers and destroyers which will be testing the freedom of navigation.
 
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Thanks.... That should really help the carriers and destroyers which will be testing the freedom of navigation.

That's why I call China's island development as global public goods. Hence, it continues unhindered and at a greater pace.

China gives out public goods like Halloween candies. Question is, will others be willing to pick them up or just 'keeping standing sulking' unhappily?
 
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South China Sea arbitration to set "serious, wrong and bad example": Chinese ambassador
2016-07-09 14:38 | Xinhua | Editor: Huang Mingrui


The South China Sea arbitration unilaterally initiated by the Philippines will set a "serious, wrong, and bad example" if it is allowed to go through, Chinese Ambassador to Britain Liu Xiaoming said.

In a recent interview with Reuters, Liu said China will not participate in the arbitration and China believes it is illegal for a tribunal to handle this case.

"The Philippines' arbitration case is against UNCLOS (the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea), because sovereignty and territorial disputes are not under the jurisdiction of UNCLOS," Liu stressed.

Liu noted that China, like 30 other countries, made a declaration in 2006 that it will not take part in third party arbitration when it comes to maritime delimitation.

"UK is one of the 30 countries. UNCLOS provides that sovereign countries have their sovereign right to make these declarations on optional exceptions," he explained.

China has always called for bilateral consultation and negotiations with neighboring countries, including the Philippines, when it comes to maritime disputes, the Chinese envoy said.

There had been a series of statements between China and the Philippines on how to resolve disputes before 2013 when the Philippines submitted its arbitration case.

"In our view, the Philippines have turned their back on their promise and that is against international practice. Once agreed, you have to follow your commitment," he said in the interview.

According to UNCLOS, Liu said, arbitration is only a supplementary means to resolve disputes, and bilateral channels are regarded as the main means to resolve a dispute between countries.

"The Philippines had never come to China to talk about this arbitration. And China and the Philippines had never had serious negotiations on this subject back then," he elaborated.

UNCLOS provides that a compulsory arbitration will not be resorted to settle a dispute between countries unless all bilateral channels are exhausted.

If this arbitration goes through, it "is against the spirit of UNCLOS," and will "set a serious, wrong and bad example," said Liu, adding that British and Dutch experts on the Law of the Sea shared the same concern with Chinese legal experts.

"Some people try to label China as not respecting international law if we reject this arbitration. But that is totally wrong. What China is doing is exactly safeguarding the authority and seriousness of international law, safeguarding the letter and spirit of UNCLOS," he told Reuters.

No matter what decision this tribunal is going to make, "it has no impact on China and China's sovereignty over these islands and reefs will not be bound by it," Liu argued.

"We will not fight in the court, but we will certainly fight for our sovereignty," he stressed.

Citing China's record in resolving territorial disputes with its neighbors, Liu reiterated that the door remains open for the Philippines to return to bilateral negotiations with China.

"The Philippines, they can put forward their proposals. And we can have our proposals and we'll meet half way. Any negotiation is a process of compromise."

"Now they have elected a new government. We do hope that they will change their course, return to the negotiation table," said the diplomat.

In the interview, Liu also slammed the U.S. "rebalancing in the Asia Pacific," voicing suspicion over American motives.

"I think the American move in the Asia Pacific emboldened those countries to change the traditional channel of negotiation with China," making them believe in "a better deal with China" via U.S. help, he said.

Describing U.S. "freedom of navigation" claims as a false argument, the ambassador said the situation in the South China Sea is calm and peaceful with no reason for military involvement from an outside power at all.

"What they are doing is not for safeguarding free navigation," Liu said. "They are there to challenge China's sovereignty over the islands and reefs. And they make a dangerous provocation. China has a legitimate right to check what they are doing."
 
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Well it does not existence so how can change something that does not existence good day chincom

Well it exists and in fact grows larger.

What will you do about that? Write more in here?
 
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