Recent Developments in the South China Sea A PHILIPPINE PERSPECTIVE by Chito Sta. Romana President,...
Transcript of Recent Developments in the South China Sea A PHILIPPINE PERSPECTIVE by Chito Sta. Romana President,...
Recent Developments in the South China Sea
A PHILIPPINE PERSPECTIVEby Chito Sta. Romana
President, Philippine Association for Chinese Studies (PACS)
ARBITRATION CASE• March 31, 2014: Philippines
submitted Memorial• December 15, 2014: Deadline for
China’s submission of its Memorial• December 16, 2014: Tribunal’s
questions to the Philippines
ARBITRATION CALENDAR• March 16, 2015: Philippines’ answers
to the Tribunal• July 2015: Oral hearings before the
Tribunal• 1st Quarter 2016: Anticipated issuance
of Award(Sources: Paul Reichler, CSIS Conference, July 2014; Robert
Beckman, MIMA Conference, Sept 2014)
WHAT PHILIPPINES SEEKS• Declare China’s claims based on 9-dash-
line as contrary to UNCLOS and invalid• Declare China’s occupation of 4
submerged features as unlawful• Declare Scarborough Shoal & 3 other
reefs China occupies as “rocks” entitled only to 12-mile territorial sea
WHAT PH DOES NOT SEEK• Resolution of sovereignty issue over
disputed islands • Delimitation of maritime boundaries
(exclusive economic zones) • Claims that China excluded from
arbitration: boundary delimination, historic bays or titles, military & law enforcement activities
SECOND THOMAS SHOAL• Flashpoint: Maritime blockade by
China Coast Guard ships• China’s aim: to cut off supplies to
PH marines deployed on grounded vessel & force them to withdraw so China can control over the shoal
MARITIME BLOCKADE
ARTIFICIAL ISLANDS• China is dredging seabed & turning
reefs under its control into “artificial islands”• Reported to be a $5 billion, 10-yr
project, technical feasibility work in Johnson South Reef
(Sources: reports in several websites in China, New York Times & South China Morning Post)
POTENTIAL FLASHPOINTS
• Reed Bank: if China moves its oil rig to start exploration work there• Scarborough Shoal: if China
starts dredging work there to turn it into an artificial island