虎猛威龙:Philippines, Indonesia seeking a common front against China

来源：百度文库编辑：九乡新闻网时间：2024/04/29 01:08:08

Philippines, Indonesia seeking a common front against China

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2011-3-11 10:26

Although the Jakarta meeting between the Indonesian and Philippine heads of state Tuesday supposedly centered primarily on cooperation in combating terrorism and other issues, it appears there might be a bigger issue at play – attempts by the nations surrounding the South China Sea to form a common front to counteract Chinese claims to the Spratly and Paracel chains of islets (the Nansha Islands).

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono told reporters Tuesday that the Spratlys could be turned into a “zone of cooperation” after his meeting with Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III. “I’m sure it is open for opportunities for cooperation, and no doubt we will hope that the South China Sea does not become a place of open conflict, but in fact, become a zone of potential economic cooperation.”

Aquino agreed, saying that talks between the countries should continue, and that there should be no unilateral move from any of them.

“With regards to the Spratlys, there is no room for unilateral action,” Aquino said. “Hopefully, with a like mind that this is a common problem and a common opportunity at the same time, we’ll be able to move a little more forward in terms of utilizing the resources of that particular region for the benefit of all the claimant nations.”

The two countries are the latest to try publicly to wriggle free of China’s all-inclusive grip on the string of islets, each of which would guarantee ownership because of the continental shelves that surround them. Last August, the government of Vietnam maneuvered the issue of the Spratlys back onto the Association of Southeast Asian Nations agenda, in the process infuriating the Chinese. Japan, Russia and India are joining the United States in continuing to strengthen their relations with Vietnam over the islets and other issues.

There is a second issue that brings in Indonesia and other nations. That is freedom of navigation across the South China Sea, one of the world’s busiest waterways through which much of the world's crude oil supplies are transmitted. Thus the interests of the United States, India and other nations come into play.

The countries bordering the South China Sea have until lately been in continuing disputes with each other over overlapping claims, which has weakened their position in relation to China. A common front against their giant neighbor to the north gives them considerably more clout.( Asia Sentinel)

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