New Geopolitics in South China Sea and Indo-Pacific strategy.
New Geopolitics in South China Sea and Indo-Pacific strategy.
In an assertive dominance in Disputed South China Sea, the Quadrilateral alliance comprising India, Japan, US, Australia conducted in their first joint naval exercise in the disputed South China Sea, where China is flexing its muscle as our “legitimate right".
China has upped the ante on its claims in the South China Sea region by objecting to the presence of Indian Navy ships in the region where it has significantly expanded its presence since 2009 through artificial islands and military presence.
Our Indian and US Navy warships have sailed close to a disputed island in the South China Sea in order to challenge excessive maritime claims and preserve access to the waterways as governed by international law eliciting an angry response from Beijing. The US and India have common values. We understand that the ability to operate in accordance with international laws and maritime environment only allows both of us to prosper as well as the rest of the nations in the area.
The relevant move the China has infringed upon Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam have competing claims in the region's sovereignty and undermined peace and security in the relevant waters. The Quad Navies regularly conducts "freedom of navigation operations" to challenge Beijing's claims in the sea. We believe our Quad militaries should strengthen cooperation and dialogue to avoid miscalculation leading to conflict. All operations are designed in accordance with international law and demonstrate that the United States will fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows. That is true in the South China Sea as in other places around the globe.
China's Illegal militarisation of the "provocative action" is a sign of “maritime hegemony.” that flagrantly ignores international law, seriously harms our sovereignty and security interests, and seriously harms peace and stability in the South China Sea region. China’s reclamation and militarisation of disputed outposts in the SCS, along with other efforts to assert its unlawful SCS maritime claims, including the use of maritime militia to intimidate, coerce and threaten other nations, undermine the peace and security of the region.
The United States and India firmly opposes coercion and intimidation by any claimant to assert its territorial or maritime claims. China should cease its bullying behaviour and refrain from engaging in this type of provocative and destabilising activity. We conduct such freedom of navigation operations in international waters around the world, even in seas claimed by its allies, without political considerations. China will not tolerate “violation of sovereignty”. Quadrilateral alliance may in future “have to intervene” to confront aggression from states like China who “flout international law” and are “resurgent” in rebuilding their armed forces. We remain committed to asserting rights of freedom of navigation at sea and in the air as provided for by international law signalling strong intent to maintain international rules-based global order amid China’s ambitions to expand its influence in the region.
The South China Sea, one of the world’s busiest waterways, is subject to several overlapping territorial disputes involving China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei.
The dispute in the SCS is between China and several others over the control of the Spratly Islands. Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei have staked their claim over the islands defined by UNCLOS - the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. the India remains strongly opposed to China’s ongoing land reclamation and muscle-flexing that has led to tensions with countries like Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and others.
In a landmark ruling, the U.N. arbitration court is dismissing China's territorial claims in the South China Sea, saying it has "no historic title" to the vast maritime region. As an international tribunal in The Hague rejected China’s claim to sovereignty over most of South China Sea, ruling instead in favour of the Philippines, and China refused to abide by the decision and calls it null and void.
China's activities undoubtedly constitute a clear violation of international law and seriously infringe upon Vietnam's sovereign rights and jurisdiction over its waters in the area as provided in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),
China has launched a massive land seizure and rebuilding effort throughout the South China Sea in recent years, transforming numerous reefs into artificial islands that can support military installations, all the while ignoring competing claims over the region by Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan, as well as the Philippines.
While India takes a cautious approach on the South China Sea issue, we cannot be indifferent to the increasing tension in the region caused by China’s bellicosity. India must accord South China Sea a higher priority and greater seriousness in foreign policy taking into account geo-economic realities. India’s strategic ties with countries in the region, especially with Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam and the Philippines have become stronger under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Act East Policy.
Indo-Pacific is free, open and inclusive, and one that is founded upon a cooperative and collaborative international rules-based order. Initiatives like Act East, Neighbourhood First, Link West, Connect Central Asia, Indian Ocean Outreach, First Track Diplomacy, etc. are some manifestations of India’s proactive foreign policy that have received accolades. For India, the geography of the Indo-Pacific stretches from the eastern coast of Africa to Oceania (from the shores of Africa to those of the Americas), which also includes the Pacific Island countries. The Indo-Pacific provides a geographic and strategic expanse, with the two oceans being linked together by the ten ASEAN countries. The ‘Indo–Pacific’ construct has gained significant attention globally and is advancing rapidly. Countries falling in the direct hinterland of the vast Indian and Pacific oceanic expanse are termed ‘Indo-Pacific countries’. It is a multipolarregion, contributing more than half of the world’s GDP and population.
Indo-Pacific is based on the principles of strengthening Quadrilateral Alliance, India-ASEAN Centrality, openness, transparency, inclusivity, international rules-based framework, good governance, respect for sovereignty, non-intervention, complementarity with existing cooperation frameworks, equality, mutual respect, mutual trust, mutual benefit and respect for international law, such as UN Charter, the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, and other relevant UN treaties and conventions, the ASEAN Charter and various ASEAN treaties and agreements and the EAS Principles for Mutually Beneficial Relations (2011). Indo-Pacific would be guided by the purposes and principles that encompass peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with the applicable international legal principles as enshrined in United Nations Charter, renunciation of the threat or use of force and promotion of international rule of law, with a view to further promoting amity and cooperation among countries in the Indo-Pacific region. Quadrilateral Alliance and Indo-Pacific planned maritime route fit under India’s “Act East” policy designed to deepen the South Asian nation’s political and economic ties with countries in Southeast Asia. India firmly stands for the freedom of navigation and over-flight and unimpeded lawful commerce, in the international waters, in accordance with international laws, notably United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
There is no hegemonic power to underwrite an international order but nor is there a global compact among nations. The international situation today is under stress. We are always opposed the threat or unilateral use of force to resolve maritime territorial disputes as this can disrupt normal trade flows threatening the economic security of all countries that depend on free-flow of marine commerce in an indirect dig towards China. We affirm the importance of safeguarding maritime security and ensuring freedom of navigation and over flight throughout the region, especially in the South China Sea. We have underlined that any differences must be resolved “peacefully by respecting the legal and diplomatic processes and without resorting to threat or use of force". “China will not win the trust of its neighbors nor the respect of the international community by maintaining its bullying tactics.”
The US and Indian joint participation in the Quad also demonstrates the strength of the US-India relationship and our shared commitment to, again, advancing a values-based policy towards the region. The ‘Quad’ countries reaffirmed their commitment to shared values and cooperation on maritime security, infrastructure and connectivity in support of rules-based frameworks and ASEAN-led mechanism to preserve and promote international rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region. our efforts to maintain and promote an open, prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific, and reaffirm our Quad commitment to shared values and cooperation.
They highlighted their efforts to maintain universal respect for international law and freedom of navigation and overflight," and to continue to explore opportunities to enhance cooperation, including in support of regional disaster response, cybersecurity, maritime security, counterterrorism, and nonproliferation. ASEAN’s efforts to develop an Indo-Pacific outlook, the four countries affirmed their strong support for ASEAN centrality and ASEAN-led regional architecture, as well as their support for other regional institutions, including the Indian Ocean Rim Association and Pacific Islands Forum. highlighted their efforts to maintain universal respect for international law and freedom of navigation and overflight in the region,
India's position has been consistent and clear that India believes that States should resolve disputes through peaceful means without threat or use of force and exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that could complicate or escalate disputes affecting peace and stability.
India supports freedom of navigation and over flight, and unimpeded commerce, based on the principles of international law, as reflected notably in the UNCLOS...As a State Party to the UNCLOS, India urges all parties to show utmost respect for the UNCLOS, which establishes the international legal order of the seas and oceans, in a veiled message to China which has been accused by the countries of the region for unilaterally changing the geography of the region.