Can China afford to destabilize Asia?

China seems to have forgotten that it is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos).  Sadly, as it appears now, China doesn’t want to honor any rule of law, much less its commitment to the Unclos.

Chinese vessels continue to sail menacingly around Ayungin Shoal, and as we write, China is building an airstrip on Mabini Reef which is also near Palawan. China has threatened the Philippines with retaliation after the latter successfully air-dropped food supplies for Filipino troops stationed on Ayungin Shoal, which China claims to own by historical right. Chinese ships have rammed Vietnamese vessels in two separate incidents these recent past weeks. The incidents should be taken seriously not only by Vietnam and the Philippines but also by all countries in the Asia-Pacific, whether or not they have ongoing territorial disputes with China.

As President Aquino has said: China’s actions are already becoming worrisome. China is resorting to the use of force in asserting its claims—today, the claims cover disputed territories; tomorrow, they could be anything. Indeed, it is possible that China will have no qualms harming Filipino fishermen in the Ayungin area to drive them away.  It will be a wait-and-see attitude for the Philippines until the arbitral tribunal issues a decision on the Philippines’ claim, which China does not want to answer before that body.

But once a decision is issued by the arbitral tribunal, China has to abide by it. Its threat to use force is merely a bluff as it can’t afford to destabilize Asia because it has too much to lose if it insists on its folly.

—MARYBETH OSINAREN,

marybeth.osinaren@yahoo.com.ph