South China Sea Watch: China holds drills amid new tensions

A look at developments in South China Sea, where China is pitted against smaller neighbors in multiple territorial disputes over islands, coral reefs and lagoons. waters are a major commercial shipping route and are rich in fish and possible oil and gas reserves.

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CHINA HOLDS NEW DRILLS AMID UPTICK IN TENSIONS

China is holding new military exercises in South China Sea amid an uptick in tensions between Asian giant and its Souast Asian neighbors and U.S.

Maritime Safety ministration issued a pair of anuncements blocking off seas around area of exercises running Sunday through Monday but gave ditional details.

China holds regular drills in area and re was immediate indication y h been prompted by recent events.

However, y follow a series of sorties earlier this month by Chinese warplanes into Taiwan’s air at rrn end of South China Sea. Beijing said those were intended as a warning to self-governing island that China claims as its own territory to be brought under its control by force if deemed necessary.

Earlier this month, an Indonesian patrol ship confronted a Chinese coast guard vessel that spent almost three days in waters where Indonesia claims ecomic rights and are near sournmost part of China’s disputed South China Sea claims.

Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam have also engd in push-back against Chinese claims and actions in area, while progress in talks between Association of Souast Asian Nations and China over South China Sea appear at a standstill.

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US CALLS CHINESE OUTPOSTS ‘PLATFORMS OF COERCION’

U.S. State Department is accusing China of going back on its word to t militarize Spratly Islands, calling Beijing’s outposts in area “platforms of coercion.”

Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus recalled Chinese leer Xi Jinping’s statement during a White House visit in 2015 that “China does t intend to pursue militarization” of Spratly Islands, and that China’s outposts would t “target or impact any country.”

“China has inste pursued a reckless and provocative militarization of those disputed outposts,” Ortagus said in a statement issued Sunday.

Ortagus cited China’s deployment of anti-ship cruise missiles, expanded surveillance capabilities, and construction of runways and hangars for fighter jets. Spratlys are occupied by multiple countries, making m most hotly contested of South China Sea's island groups.

China “uses se militarized outposts as platforms of coercion to assert control over waters to which Beijing has lawful maritime claim, Ortagus said. “y serve as staging grounds for hundreds of maritime militia vessels and China Coast Guard ships that regularly harass civilian craft and impede legitimate law enforcement activities, offshore fishing, and hydrocarbon development by neighboring states.”

China denies militarizing region, saying island developments are intended to increase maritime safety as well as assert Chinese territorial claims. It accuses U.S. of militarizing area by sailing its ships nearby Chinese outposts in “freedom of navigation operations” and through or actions.

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PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT INVOKES 2016 RULING AGAINST CHINA

Philippine president received rare praise from critics Wednesday for invoking before United Nations a 2016 arbitration ruling that invalidated China’s vast territorial claims in South China Sea.

President Rodrigo Duterte me one of his strongest defenses of Philippine victory in arbitration case in his first dress before annual U.N. General Assembly. China dismissed conclusions of Hague Tribunal and has long refused to bring issue to any international arena.

Duterte, who has nurtured close ties with China since taking office in mid-2016, has long been criticized for refusing to immediately and forcefully demand Chinese compliance with ruling. It found China’s claims on virtually entire South China Sea on historical grounds inconsistent with international maritime law.

“ award is w part of international law, beyond compromise and beyond reach of passing governments to dilute, diminish or abandon,” Duterte said, without naming China. “We firmly reject attempts to undermine it.”

Chinese officials did t immediately issue a reaction.

Albert del Rosario, a former Philippine foreign secretary who brought disputes with China to international arbitration, said he was heartened by Duterte’s move.

Antonio Carpio, a retired Philippine Supreme Court justice who helped in arbitration case, commended Duterte and hoped that “this is policy that Duterte ministration will implement across all levels” in protecting Philippine maritime rights and seeking international support to enforce ruling.