As India initiated the first-ever standalone discussion on ‘Maritime Security’ in the United Nations Security Council on Monday, the US and China took on each other over the issue of freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific region.
China hit out at the Quad, accusing a “few countries” of “pursuing an exclusive regional strategy in the Asia Pacific region in an attempt to create intensified maritime conflict.” The Quad, formally known as the “Quadrilateral Security Dialogue,” is a forum for exchanging strategic intelligence and conducting joint military exercises between four countries – the United States, India, Japan, and Australia.
Officially, the organisation was conceived as a place for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific area to protect shared security and other interests. Observers, on the other hand, believe the Quad is designed to challenge China’s recent military and economic development.
The US, represented by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in an oblique reference to China, said the international rules-based order was “under serious threat.”
“In the South China Sea, we have seen dangerous encounters between vessels at sea and provocative actions to advance unlawful maritime claims,” Blinken said.
China has been building military bases on artificial islands in the region also claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.
“The United States has made clear its concerns regarding actions that intimidate and bully other states from lawfully accessing their maritime resources. And we and other countries including South China Sea claimants have protested such behavior and unlawful maritime claims in the South China Sea,” he said.
“Some may assert that resolving the dispute in the South China Sea is not the business of the United States or any other country that is not a claimant to the islands and waters. But it is the business, and even more, the responsibility of every Member State to defend the rules that we’ve all agreed to follow and peacefully resolve maritime disputes. Conflict in the South China Sea or in any ocean would have serious global consequences for security and for commerce. What’s more, when a State faces no consequences for ignoring these rules, it fuels greater impunity and instability everywhere,” the leader said.
China’s Deputy Permanent Representative Dai Bing, speaking last in the meeting, said that he wishes to “point out that the Security Council is not the right place to discuss the issue of the South China Sea. The US just mentioned the South China Sea issue and China firmly opposes this act.”
He said that at present “with the joint efforts of China and ASEAN countries, the situation in the South China Sea remains generally stable. All countries enjoy freedom of navigation and overflight in accordance with international law.”
The Chinese diplomat said that Beijing is “determined and able to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea.”
Hitting out at Washington, he said the US itself is not qualified to make irresponsible remarks on the issue of the South China Sea.
“The US has been stirring up trouble out of nothing, arbitrarily sending advanced military vessels and aircraft into the South China Sea as provocations and publicly trying to drive a wedge into regional countries, especially countries concerned. This country itself has become the biggest threat to peace and stability in the South China Sea. The US itself does not join the UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) but considers itself a judge of the Convention pointing fingers at other countries,” he said, adding that Washington has no credibility on maritime issues.
“The United States’ hype in the Security Council is entirely politically motivated. The South China Sea arbitration tribunal violated the Principle of State consent,” the Chinese diplomat said, adding that “there were obvious errors in the determination of facts and application of the law and its award was invalid and without any binding force.”
He said China and ASEAN countries are committed to fully and effectively implementing the declaration under the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and strive to reach the code of conduct in the South China Sea at an early date.
In the backdrop of China having dismissed the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea – UNCLOS judgment in 2016 vis-à-vis Philippines – the outcome document on maritime security that stressed the primacy of the international law, was a major development.
However, it was not without its share of hurdles, CNN-News18 has learned. China is believed to have held out till the very end of the discussion, on the language related to UNCLOS.
This also marks the first-ever outcome document by the adopted UNSC on the issue of maritime security.
As per practices, the “Presidential Statement” has to be adopted unanimously. But Indian negotiators were able to find a language acceptable to all. This was without dropping the reference to UNCLOS.
Four heads of governments/states and 10 Ministers, including seven Foreign Ministers, participated in the Indian initiative at the UNSC.
India also managed to get a full open debate on maritime security. So far, UNSC has discussed limited aspects of maritime security, such as maritime piracy and crime.
Past attempts made by Vietnam in April 2021, and Equatorial Guinea in February 2019, for a full discussion had not succeeded.
With inputs from PTI
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