Yesterday, China announced the creation of a new city in South China Sea on an island claimed by Vietnam and the Philippines. Beijing has also confirmed its determination to take control of offshore oil reserves. Meanwhile, the territorial dispute with Japan does not decrease in intensity. Experts believe that the key point in China’s strategy is to build a strong military maritime force. Tuesday, the official ceremony was held to establish Sansha city on the island with the same name of the Spratley archipelago. Before the ceremony, the town’s population elected the municipal council, made of 45 members. 1,100 voters participated in elections. The event provides an overview about the number of city residents. The Secretary of the Communist Party was elected, de facto leader of the new district city. Jurisdiction of the district will comprise three islands of the archipelago.
The military-political purpose of this decision isbe clear if we take into account that the Beijing Central Military Council announced that in addition to the new municipal formation, a military garrison shall be established to be responsible for security of the three islands of the archipelago. Commenting on developments, Associated Press notes that Beijing strengthens its claims to offshore oil and gas deposits. To reach the island from the mainland on the sea, you need 13 hours. There is a post office, bank, supermarket, hospital. And this is almost everything.
Philippines have condemned China’s decision. Authorities in Manila have sent a diplomatic protest against China. According to the version of the Philippine authorities, China has violated Philippines’ territorial sovereignty in “the waters and continental shelf of Western Philippine Sea.” It appears that Manila recognizes the name “Sea of the West Philiphines” (this is the name that appears on Russian maps). In the annual message addressed by the Philippines’ President, Benigno Aquino III said that the Philippines will strengthen its armed forces and will defend the territory from foreign attacks.
The conflict over the islands has become even more severe between China and Vietnam. There was no armed conflict, as in the past decade, but in Hanoi there were held several demonstrations against China. All these facts will make foreign analysts wonder: after all, what’s the point? General Tzin to Inan, head of Research Institute of the University for National Defense, says that Japan has sovereignty over the islands of Okinawa and the Ryukyus. In recent years, in China, these views were not expressed openly.
Yakov Berger, senior researcher at the Institute for Far East Academy of Sciences of Russia, recalled that in the 2000s there was an analysis made in China on the possibility that it becomes a global power without being a strong maritime state . Historical experience has shown that this is not possible. In the Ming Dynasty era, China had this chance, but it lost it, as contacts with foreigners were prohibited. “That’s why, today, Beijing is building solid sea and air military forces and strongly supports its rights to the islands in question. Creating a garrison in Sansha is part of this strategy. The Chinese authorities’ statements show that foreign ships can pass through waters belonging to the islands only with Chinese permission.
In the South China Sea conflict, Beijing has seen a diplomatic success. It managed to divide the Association of Southeast Asian States (ASEAN). Some of these countries did not support Vietnam and Philippines. Regarding Japan, Beijing has not officially expressed claims over the Ryukyus islands, although a few centuries ago, the islands paid taxes to the Chinese emperor. Such claims are expressed on blogs of the central party newspaper, Jenmin Jibao “. Probably not unintentional. Such statements are a means of pressure or a test,” the expert stressed.
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