Spratlys: A Dispute Between Nations

Recently, territorial disputes over the Spratly Islands have increased tensions, mostly between China, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Additionally, the islands are being claimed wholly or in part by Brunei, Malaysia, and Taiwan. Why do all these countries have an interest over a few islands? Aside from being a vast resource for fishing, the part that interests these countries the most is their potential for oil and natural gas resources.

According to the CIA World Factbook, the Spratlys “consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs,” with a total land area of less than 5km. “The proximity to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins suggests the potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is largely unexplored.” The Spratlys were first mapped by the British in the 1880’s.

Each of the countries have varying reasons for claiming the Spratlys as part of their own territory. For one, China’s claim over the Spratlys (which they call the Nansha Islands) is based on naval expeditions from their Han and Ming Dynasties. Secondly, Vietnam’s claim over the Spratlys (Trường Sa) is based on their historical records and the continental shelf principle. Next, the Philippines have expressed a claim over the Spratlys (Kalayaan, Palawan), as early as the 1950s when a Philippine explorer visited the islands. Officially, the islands were claimed by the Philippines in 1971, when they were designated “Kalayaan.” Also, Taiwan’s claims are similar to that of China, Malaysia asserts their claim through the continental shelf principle, and Brunei’s claims part of the South China Sea closest to the Spratlys as part of its continental shelf and Exclusive Economic Zone, defined as 200-nautical miles from the country’s coast. This international law allows countries to explore and make use of any maritime resources available in the zone.

In addition to the differences in the names of the islands by the various countries, the “South China Sea” is referred to by the Vietnamese as the “East Sea” and the “West Philippine Sea” by the Philippines.

In February, the Philippine government asserted allegations the Chinese navy fired upon Pilipino fishermen near the Jackson Atoll, which the Chinese Ambassador denies.

In March, the Philippine government also alleges two Chinese patrol ships threatened to ram into a Pilipino oil exploration vessel in the vicinity of the Reed Bank. The Chinese Ambassador acknowledged the involvement of Chinese forces.

On June 9, 2011, the Chinese government issued a warning to countries with a rival claim over the Spratlys to stop searching for oil, stating they will assert its sovereignty in the South China Sea. This warning came in response to a Vietnamese claim which Chinese vessels allegedly rammed into cables from Vietnamese oil exploration vessel in the Spratlys. The Chinese accuse the Vietnamese of illegally operating in the area and claim the Vietnamese vessel attempted to chase the Chinese vessel away.

In response, the Vietnamese and Filipinos have continued to protest against the Chinese warning, each asserting their claim to the islands and accusing the Chinese of encroaching on their territory. Each country has also conducted military exercises in the area, stating they were planned and scheduled before the recent escalation of disputes.

On July 4th, an unidentified fighter aircraft flew within several feet above Philippine fishermen in the Spratlys, close to the Dalagang Bukid Shoal.

Disputes over the Spratly Islands is nothing new. China’s claim over the Spratlys was first recognized by European powers in 1883 when Germany’s survey of the area was stopped after Chinese protest. In the 1930’s while the French had control over Vietnam as a colony, they asserted their claim to the Spratlys. During World War II, the Japanese occupied the islands and afterwards surrendered their claim to the Chinese, after signing the San Francisco Treaty of 1951. The Chinese emphasize this act in asserting their claim over the islands. The Philippines explored part of the islands in 1956 and claimed seven of the islands as part of their own territory less than 20 years later. In 1988, China and Vietnam engaged in a naval altercation over the islands, in which nearly 70 Vietnamese sailors were killed. In 1992, the Chinese Parliament passed a law explicitly claiming the Spratlys as part of China.

This week, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario will be in China preparing for the President’s visit and also to talk to Vice President Xi Jinping and Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi. In addition to other political topics, del Rosario is expected to bring up the Spratlys situation. In Vietnam, the Vietnamese continue to speak out against China’s claims over the Spratlys by holding weekly protests in the vicinity of the Chinese Embassy.

Pilipino-Americans across the United States are mobilizing to rally in front of the China Consulates in NY, Chicago, Houston, SF, LA, & the China Embassy in DC on Friday, July 8^that 12 Noon local time.

Sources:

• http://www.globalsecurity.org
• https://www.cia.gov
• http://www.sunstar.com.ph
• http://www.navytimes.com
• http://www.highbeam.com
• http://www.bbc.co.uk
• http://globalnation.inquirer.net