POLITICS The U.S. and India have recently expressed concern over rising tensions in the South China Sea as China and its Southeast Asian neighbors continue to engage in maritime territorial disputes. And now China is pushing back, saying both countries have no business speaking on the dispute. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Barack Obama issued a joint statement following their meeting on September 30th, stressing the importance of “preserving regional peace and stability” in the area. In the statement, both leaders called for “all parties to avoid the use, or threat of use, of force in advancing their claims” and help find a peaceful resolution in the area, specifically pointing to international laws like the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea as a measure. China’s claims to some territories in the South China Sea are based on historic claims, such as those derived from some ancient maps, and are not shared by neighboring nations such as the Philippines and Vietnam. “Our position is that the dispute in the South China Sea should be resolved by countries directly concerned through negotiation and consultation, and any third party should not be involved in the dispute,” Hong Lei, the Foreign Ministry spokesperson said during a press briefing. Beijing’s claims in the South China Sea could potentially affect India, even though the country does not lay claim to the area. As pointed out in local newspaper India Today, the freedom to navigate the waters of the South China Sea includes vital sea passages that are an important conduit for Indian trade with parts of East Asia. Most recently, Vietnam and the Philippines have been the most vocal about pushing back on China’s claims, through verbal and naval confrontations. PHOTO: Chinese oil rig Haiyang Shi You 981 (C) is seen surrounded by ships of China Coast Guard in the South China Sea, about 210 km (130 miles) off shore of Vietnam on May 14, 2014. (IBT) s1.ibtimes/sites/ibtimes/files/styles/v2_article_large/public/2014/07/16/chinese-rigsouth-china-sea.jpg?itok=tieHzbJv
Posted on: Thu, 09 Oct 2014 20:27:32 +0000
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