By: O. Safitrie*)
South China Sea disputes between ASEAN countries and China are still becoming prominent agenda for ASEAN under Malaysia chairmanship this year. As cited from New Strait Times online on 24 January 2015, US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Russel hopes Malaysia, as both founding father and stakeholder in South China Sea, will be able to settle the disputes. One of the ways is by spurring maritime Code of Conduct (CoC) to ensure region’s peace and stability.
There are at least 9 disputes in South China Sea involving both maritime boundaries and islands. 8 of them involves Malaysia including The Nine-Dash Line area dispute. This area was claimed by China, yet overlaps Exclusive Economic Zone claims of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, and Vietnam. The CoC is a long-delayed negotiation between ASEAN members and China aiming at resolving territorial disputes between China and neighbouring countries in the South China Sea. It will be hard for Malaysia, however, to facilitate the dispute settlement as the country is the prime player in the dispute itself.
Among ASEAN member, Malaysia also might not be able to open discussions on this issue. Malaysia has overlapping claims on the South China Sea with Brunei, the Philippines and Vietnam.
It seems that the status quo in South China Sea will not change much or even not change at all under Malaysia chairmanship or in the near future. It takes the solidity among ASEAN member to bring this issue forward. Yet, ASEAN seems still need to work out on this ‘solidity issue’. The ASEAN way of non-intervention upheld by ASEAN member states might hinder the way ASEAN supports its members against China. In addition, China’s growing power might discourage ASEAN’s strong countries like Indonesia and Singapore to support their neighbours. Jakarta and Singapore might prefer not to anger Beijing by just being spectators.
The only hope to move forward is by involving US which some countries has done so by their own. Malaysia has enhanced its political and defence ties with the United States by joining the US-led Proliferation Security Initiative, which China opposes, and allowing the US to refuel its Poseidon submarine surveillance planes in Malaysia’s territory. Singapore also expands its facilities to host US naval ships. Philippine has since long time ago claimed itself as US’s strategic treaty ally. Even Vietnam now has closer ties to US.
*) The Author Is Singapore Contributor
