China directs ire against US, blames it for South China Sea troubles

As the UN-backed tribunal struck down China’s claims over almost all of the South China Sea, China directed its ire against the US, accusing America and its Asia Pacific Pivot policy for stirring trouble to blunt Beijing’s rise.

“Before the implementation of the so-called rebalance to Asia Pacific by the US, the South China Sea (SCS) is very tranquil and peaceful. Then comes the Americans and their policy of rebalance to Asia and since then things have changed,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told reporters.

Before the rebalance was implemented there were disputes between the relevant parties in the SCS but they properly managed and maintained peaceful situation.

“No matter how the US argues, they cannot deny that things changed after the implementation of the Asia rebalance policy,” he said.

In a case brought by the Philippines, the Hague-based tribunal appointed by the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled “there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights within the sea areas falling within the ‘nine-dash line’”, which is based on a Chinese map dating back to the 1940s.

“The US poses itself as guardian of the maritime rule of law but refuses to approve the UN Convention on Law of Seas, (UNCLOS) 34 years after it was reached. It asks the other parties to accept the third party approach for dispute settlement but even refuses to accept the order and judgement by the supreme judicial organ of the UN which is international court of justice,” Lu said.

“Its action severely erodes the authority, sanctity and effectiveness of the international law. It is very dangerous and the international community should be on high alert against that,” Lu said.

Asked about the report that China may pull out of the UNCLOS as the tribunal was constituted based on it, Lu said, “I do not know where did you see that”.

“Ever since China approved UNCLOS in 1976, we have been loyal party to UNCLOS and we uphold it with faithful observance. We have to say that we should maintain the authority of the UNCLOS no matter what instead of making selective use of it based on the likes and dislikes and or even violate the clause of the UNCLOS,” he said.

Reports also said China which has already developed several islands and reefs in the SCS may declare Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) of the SCS under which all the incoming aircraft have to identify themselves.