Sea row dominates Southeast Asian summit

An undated handout photo released by Vietnam's coast guard at a press conference in Hanoi on May 7 shows Chinese vessels (L) using water cannons on Vietnamese vessels (R), near the Paracel islands. Chinese boats repeatedly rammed Vietnamese vessels near disputed waters in the South China Sea where China is stationing an oil drilling platform, Vietnam said. Photo EPA/Vietnam Coast Guard

Martin Abbugao, AFP

Surging maritime tensions have dominated a meeting of Southeast Asian leaders, with Vietnam calling on regional support in its worsening territorial dispute with China.

The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) convened just days after both Vietnam and the Philippines locked horns with China in contested waters, stoking international alarm.

A joint statement from the summit, hosted for the first time by Myanmar in its showpiece capital Naypyidaw, was delayed after the meeting ended on Sunday, with sources saying a typing error meant the document had to be reconfirmed with member states.

Tensions in the South China Sea, which is criss-crossed by key shipping lanes and thought to contain vast energy reserves, loomed large over discussions and was expected to be noted in the final communique.

In remarks to the summit, Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung urged his counterparts to protest China's controversial decision to move an oil drilling rig early this month into waters also claimed by Hanoi.

Reiterating accusations that Chinese vessels had then attacked Vietnamese ships in the disputed waters, he slammed Beijing's move as 'extremely dangerous'.

Dung also told the summit Hanoi views the incident as a violation of international laws.

On Saturday ASEAN foreign ministers expressed 'serious concerns over the ongoing developments' in a joint statement.

Disputes with China present a delicate challenge to the bloc, some of whose members are closely reliant politically and economically on Beijing.

In 2012 China's ally Cambodia caused consternation when it was ASEAN head by refusing to take Beijing to task over its assertive maritime stance.

The latest incident has stoked bitter anti-China sentiment in Vietnam, with about 1000 people joining one of the country's largest-ever rallies against Beijing in Hanoi on Sunday. Protests also broke out in two other major Vietnamese cities.

China and Vietnam, who fought a brief border war in 1979, frequently trade diplomatic barbs over oil exploration, fishing rights and the Spratly and Paracel Islands.

Vietnam's communist regime, which is wary of public gatherings that could threaten its authoritarian rule, has alternated between tolerating anti-China rallies and violently breaking them up.

Observers said Beijing's decision to move the rig could have been prompted by a visit to the region by US President Barack Obama, who reaffirmed support for Asian allies the Philippines and Japan, which is locked in its own maritime territorial dispute with China.

The move 'underlines Beijing's commitment to test the resolve of Vietnam, its ASEAN neighbours and Washington,' said the US-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called on both countries to 'exercise the utmost restraint' in the sea, United Nations deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said on Friday.

The South China Sea is claimed in part by ASEAN members Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei and Malaysia as well as Taiwan.

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/sea-row-dominates-southeast-asian-summit-2/