Us China Vietnam

8/8/2019 Us China Vietnam

1/28

U.S. push to upgrade the South China Sea can beconsumed in China for more strategic resources

October 14, 2010 0 Comments

U.S. push to upgrade the South China Sea can be consumed in China for morestrategic resources

Core Tip: Analysts believe that the U.S. actively involved in the South China Sea,with the eastward shift of U.S. strategic center of gravity is the same strain. Worryingsituation in the United States to create the way the South China Sea, from the insideout to promote the internationalization of the South China Sea, the purpose is toenable China to put more resources into solving the strategic South China Sea up to

curb the rise of China.

October 11th, State Councilor and Defense Minister General Liang meeting with U.S.Defense Secretary Robert Gates

International Online October 14 October 12 report, the Vietnamese capital Hanoi hasattracted world's attention. Vietnam in ASEAN's rotating presidency, under the

proposal, the first expansion of the ASEAN Defence Minister Meeting heldhere.Gathered at the meeting from the 10 ASEAN countries and Australia, China,India, Japan, New Zealand, Russia, South Korea and the United States secretary of defense dialogue 8.

The conference is about the expansion of defense cooperation, the ASEAN member countries a security forum. However, the focus of the outside world is clearly morethan that. As Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Liang Guanglie with U.S.Defense Secretary Robert Gates met in Vietnam, the meeting was described as a thawof Sino-US military relations, "test the water." South China Sea issue in the currentcontext of constant noise, whether the United States and the countries at the meetingto carry out some "little tricks" also attracted a lot of outside speculation.

U.S. and Russian officials for the first time participants

Host Vietnam has announced that the enlarged meeting of ASEAN defense ministersof ASEAN member countries will surely unity, unity, and to ensure regional peace,stability and commitment to expand defense cooperation, the ASEAN meeting, heldthe highest marks the beginning of the Defense Security CooperationMechanism . ASEAN cooperation in five priority areas including maritime security,

peacekeeping, military medical cooperation, counterterrorism, humanitarianassistance and disaster reduction.

According to the agenda of the pre-announced, Vietnamese Defense Minister Feng

Guangqing keynote speaker will be involved in national defense and militarycooperation on the progress of ASEAN, the ASEAN Political Security Community
http://www.comhaha.com/blog/563163-us-push-to-upgrade-the-south-china-sea-can-be-consumed-in-china-for-more-strategic-resources/#commentshttp://www.comhaha.com/blog/563163-us-push-to-upgrade-the-south-china-sea-can-be-consumed-in-china-for-more-strategic-resources/#commentshttp://www.comhaha.com/blog/563163-us-push-to-upgrade-the-south-china-sea-can-be-consumed-in-china-for-more-strategic-resources/#comments


2/28

objectives and so on. The meeting will also through various documents, including thefirst meeting of the Joint Declaration of ASEAN defense ministers. The meeting will

be Defense Senior Officials Group meeting. In the framework of the Conference,China, United States, Japan, India, Korea and other military delegation will pay anofficial visit to Vietnam.

Vietnamese Ministry of Defense officials said the meeting will not involve specificissues, only attention and political commitment, in particular, the content is open for future cooperation. But in the published security policies, countries can find the same

point in a future cooperation in order to strengthen the spirit to put forward their common concerns.

Concern that the United States and Russia will be the first to dialogue partners as partof the 10 +8 defense minister meetings. This is the second meeting of ASEANForeign Ministers in July this year, decided to officially invite the U.S. and Russia "toappropriate arrangements and time" to join the East Asia Summit, the two military

powers approached another substantive performance of the ASEAN. Analysts believethat the United States and Russia will enable ASEAN countries to join the strategicsecurity situation has undergone subtle changes.

U.S. pushing to upgrade the South China Sea

Department of Defense pre-Vietnam, said the defense minister meeting will not dealwith specific issues, including the South China Sea issue. But some experts believethat such a regional security forum like the United States an opportunity to stir theSouth China Sea, the countries concerned will also prepare could not make their own"concern."

Hao Zheng Phoenix commentators believe that the U.S. Secretary of State in July of this year Hillary Clinton was held in Hanoi on the declaration of the ASEANRegional Forum, "South China Sea issue between the U.S. national interest,"suggested that the U.S. intends to help solve the South China Sea dispute. Thisargument was held in September of the ASEAN - U.S. summit repeat again byObama. "So, the United States this is likely old tricks."

Experts believe that the meeting of ASEAN defense ministers meeting is a safe, andthe South China Sea also involves security, so do not rule out the countries to the

South China Sea moved to this table, want the U.S. to back their words. The UnitedStates is willing to play such a role of mediator, on the one hand to the ASEANcountries and China to discuss the South China Sea when Yaoban harder, on the other hand to show it in the Asia-Pacific region's "leading role."

Analysts pointed out that since the announcement "to return to Southeast Asia", theUnited States is at every step, to promote the internationalization of the South ChinaSea. The first half of this year, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Asia-PacificAffairs visited Campbell in Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and other Southeast Asiancountries, through a reporter's question about the machine on the South China Sea, theU.S. position on the issue, saying the want to maintain freedom of navigation in the

South China Sea, but also want sovereignty over the South China Sea dispute should be multilateral negotiations.


3/28

This year in July, U.S. Secretary of State at the ASEAN Regional Forum, Clinton saidthe United States is willing to promote the spirit of ASEAN and China in 2002"issued by the DOC," reached the spirit of initiative and confidence-buildingmeasures. In fact, her remarks to the South China Sea, "ASEAN" of leaving a primer,

because the "Declaration" China and ASEAN member countries signed between theGovernment, rather than between China and the ASEAN Declaration, theconcept substitution is no doubt in order to highlight the issue in the South China Sea

between China and ASEAN bilateral situation. October 4, U.S. Ambassador to thePhilippines, said Harry Thomas, the U.S. is willing to assist in the drafting of a legally

binding "code of conduct," ASEAN and China to resolve the sovereignty dispute inthe South China Sea. This means that the level of U.S. involvement in the SouthChina Sea has increased by one step.

Analysts believe that the U.S. actively involved in the South China Sea, with theeastward shift of U.S. strategic center of gravity is the same strain. Recently, theUnited States sent troops to help root out rebels in the Philippines, continue to thePhilippines as a base to expand military influence in Southeast Asia, the intentionclear. In addition, the opportunity of the Sino-Japanese dispute over the DiaoyuIslands, the United States promised to strengthen the Japan-US Youxiang Japanmilitary alliance, the U.S. military presence in Asia is even more "well-founded." Worrying situation in the United States to create the way the South ChinaSea, from the inside out to promote the internationalization of the South China Sea,the purpose is to enable China to put more resources into solving the strategic SouthChina Sea up to curb the rise of China.

Sino-US military exchanges fear into a new obstacle to the South China Sea

The expansion of ASEAN defense ministers meeting, China and the U.S. Secretary of Defense will take the meeting of the machine, hold bilateral talks, marking the

beginning of this year was interrupted by U.S. arms sales to Taiwan relations China-US military exchanges press the "reset button" .

Throughout the history of Sino-US bilateral military exchanges, you can use the"good times and bad" to describe. June 5, 1989 President Bush declared sanctions onChina, the U.S. military announced that interrupt high-level military exchanges withChina, and break 5 years, did not resume until 1994. This year in January, the Obama

government approved plans 6.4 billion arms sales to Taiwan, the Chinese sideimmediately announced the suspension of visits between the two armed forces program. The US-ROK cooperation in "days of the ship incident", the joint militaryexercise in the Yellow Sea, lie in tense Sino-US military relations.

Recently, the U.S., "Qiao Bao" to comment on the article said, due to recent frictionin the South China Sea, South China Sea has become another focus of U.S. defenseand difficult to communicate. The future of Sino-US military relations can developsmoothly, mainly to see whether the United States caution, do not take the initiative tostir up trouble.

The article said that China and the U.S. there is no sovereignty disputes in the South


4/28

China Sea, because of the freedom of navigation on the right and fight the finalanalysis because of high-profile involvement of the United States by China and thecountries deal with the dispute through bilateral diplomacy, will rise to the issue of multilateral international occasions. Obama in September at the ASEAN Summit andASEAN leaders issued a joint statement on the South China Sea has become more

low-key, this is a wise choice. The United States should carefully avoid the coreinterest of China to prevent further deterioration of Sino-US military relations.

South China Sea, the United States would like to take checks andbalances involved in the China-ASEAN powers do not want toconflict

Posted by admin

2010-09-27 09:30:18

use U.S. 24, the gap with the United Nations General Assembly held its secondsession of the ASEAN, the ASEAN - U.S. summit, which was "The Wall StreetJournal" and other U.S. media as a "join the United States of ASEAN in Asia tocounterbalance China's influence," the latest move.

from the U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton last month announced a high-profileinvolvement in Vietnam after the South China Sea, South China Sea in the eyes of world public opinion has become the great horn-US game field. Southeast Asiancountries and the U.S. media claimed that "the same counter China" is different fromthe latter position appears to be much more low-key.

Indonesia's president to not attend the summit in New York; Singapore PrimeMinister Lee Hsien Loong expressed concern that "if the United States and friction,we, the Asian countries will become part of the problem"; and China on the dispute inthe South China Sea are more has been seen as America's closest allies in SoutheastAsia, the Philippines has also said publicly that no U.S. involvement in the SouthChina Sea. Canadian "Globe and Mail," commented that, while eager to ensure thesecurity of the United States, while eager to boost the prosperity of China, SoutheastAsia, "is torn apart."

United States, "Philadelphia horn" magazine website article is that China's "traditionalsphere of influence the United States" imposed by the economic influence inSoutheast Asia to the U.S. attitude appears to promote swing, countries such asPhilippines, China, attempts to new economic giant and "American aboard theeconomy sinking ship" to seek a new balance between.

ASEAN to the United States want?

occurs when a region when the undisputed dominant force, within their sphere of influence in the country sooner or later will realize that an alliance is the mostconsistent with its own interests. However, if faced with two competing for the bigcountry, how would they consider it? United States, "Philadelphia horn" magazine hasmade such a question.


5/28

Hillary Clinton in July from the U.S. Secretary of State high-profile talk about theSouth China Sea in Vietnam, the United States has long been suspected to use to winover the South China Sea as the greatest weight to counterbalance China ASEAN. 24,United States, the gap by the UN General Assembly held the second summit withASEAN, and the theme is still the South China Sea. In addition, the United States in

enhancing relations with ASEAN are not many other commitments. "Philadelphiahorn," commented that some Southeast Asian countries may think that Washington'scommitment is not much of Southeast Asia, and China has become the SoutheastAsian energy, agriculture and infrastructure, the biggest supplier of funds, so bothwould like to reassure Southeast Asian countries, the rapid development of China,economic forces, while U.S. allies want to seek security guarantees.

Barack Obama as the kingdom of childhood lived in Indonesia has been lookingforward to a great American, Barack Obama had three invitations to visit Indonesia,

but have been delayed for various reasons Obama. 24, arrived in New York for theUN General Assembly President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia to theground state affairs did not attend the summit peak. Indonesia, "Jakarta Post" editorialquestioned the 24th session of the "U.S. - ASEAN Summit," whether called "summit."The editorial said that if Obama really attaches importance to ASEAN in its foreign

policy position and role, the United States should consider a good time and place, thesummit held in Washington, rather than the gap in the UN General Assembly held in

New York. U.S. leaders should be held a grand press conference at the White Houseto pass the American people the importance of ASEAN to U.S. interests, but only feelthe summit, the importance of ASEAN to the United States limited to a small part of Washington's mouth. For the United States is likely to issue in the South China Seawith ASEAN issued a joint statement, "The Jakarta Post," a comment the other day tocall themselves "outsiders dispute," adding that the issue, Indonesia's interests are: thedispute should not affect regional stability.

within ASEAN, Singapore has always supported "to the U.S. balance China." LeeKuan Yew in Singapore last year in the United States issued a "check and balanceChina," remarks have caused controversy. Singapore's "Lianhe Zaobao," 24, citingSingapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong as saying, "The United States continuesas the regional geo-political stage one, is also very important." Lee also called for more United States to strengthen economic links with ASEAN. He said, "If the UnitedStates and some friction between China, or other problems, when we have these Asiancountries will become part of the problem, and we are the United States as rivals,

competitors and the possibility of the threat will be greatly enhanced . But if there isinvestment in the United States, have a business, the United States will take us as afriend and part of the solution, not part of the problem. "

largest TV abs-cbnnews23 Philippines said Wednesday that some ASEANWashington tried to restore their country for the old influence in Asia is not soenthusiastic, like Thailand, Cambodia and other countries "do not really want to seeany confrontation between China and the United States, because once this happens,they may have to choose the position This is the reluctant they do. "

ASEAN did not want to buffer the United States


6/28

Recently, many ASEAN countries are worried about the U.S. involvement in thedispute, although American great concern to these countries an excuse for the SouthChina Sea. Thailand's "public opinion newspaper," said the investment in ASEAN inrecent years, China is the largest in ASEAN has a solid foundation. Game face of theUnited States and Southeast Asian countries is unlikely one-sided attitude of the

United States to intervene too much in the South China Sea, Southeast Asiancountries have also been vigilant. Malaysia "Nanyang Siang Pau," said, "the UnitedStates in the South China Sea is welcome, but not too happily in Washington tointervene in regional affairs, it would only cause trouble, rather than solve the

problem." Thailand's "Manager Daily" claimed that China is the collapse of theUnited States against China-ASEAN joint "vertical operation."

guess a political scientist at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand, said Watts, theSouth China Sea in China's attitude toward neighboring countries has been in theconflict, which side would like to benefit from the rise of China, and China'seconomic ties will help to Asian century dream into reality; side and fears that Chinais too powerful forces outside the region want to balance China. Nevertheless, themajority of China's cooperation with Southeast Asian countries do not want to conflictwith China.

Indonesia, "Jakarta Post," a recent review may reflect a cautious attitude manyASEAN countries. Reported that "Indonesia should avoid fighting in the United Statesand the former acting as a buffer, because it would damage the relationship betweenJakarta and Beijing, both geographically and economically, we are now closer toChina than with the United States. And refused to support the United States comparedto damage relations with China more harmful to us. "

Philippines is considered to be most affected by the American Association of Southeast Asian countries. While the Philippines has some people that there is nodomestic support for the Philippines, the United States can not protect their interestsin the South China Sea, but in recent years, the voices against the U.S. involvementthere from time to time. Earlier, Philippine Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo earlyAugust was for Hillary Clinton's remarks about the U.S. involvement in the SouthChina Sea, said the South China Sea issue is an issue between ASEAN and China,and is limited to ASEAN and China, not the United States or any other third partyintervention. This attitude broke the Southeast Asian countries "have backwardAmerican" impression. Manila, a university student Sai Xiluo "Global Times"

reporter, said: "The Philippines and China have a lot of economic cooperation, but wealso have territorial disputes with China, it is not biased towards China, but shouldlearn from Singapore and Thailand, China and the U.S. walk between. "

ASEAN security dependence on the United States is still great

village president for Southeast Asian Studies, Xiamen University, received land inthe" Global Times "reporter, said The United States is now the Na Nanhai problemwhen a card to play, in order to contain China, the Chinese strategic interests in other international concessions. In fact, very clear in Southeast Asia, the United States inthe South China Sea and China will not "dead top", ASEAN is also absolutely no

need at this point to his "bundling" the body in the United States. Land also saidZhuang, ASEAN move closer to such a position does not mean that China is more,


7/28

the contrast remains in the field of military security close ties with the United States.A long-term Chinese scholars living in the Philippines, told reporters that thePhilippines is in the hope that the United States concerned about the South China Sea,and South China Sea and Spratly islands and reefs in terms of defense tried to

persuade the U.S. to provide military assistance to the Philippines and security.

Previously, the Philippines chief of staff met with U.S. Pacific Commander inKaduodaiwei Robert Willard had said that the Philippines military is very weak, dueto planes and ships are too old, the Philippines, the military capabilities in thedisputed area "is almost Ignore. "

In fact, many Southeast Asian countries and the United States have been workingmore in the military. Back in World War II, the United States in the Philippines,Vietnam, and has a number of military bases, the main purpose is to prevent thecommunist forces in the south, containment, containment of China. With the VietnamWar, especially the "cold war" ended, Southeast Asian countries increased nationalsentiment, the U.S. military bases in Southeast Asia have been shut down in 1992, theU.S. military was forced to shut down military bases in the Philippines, thewithdrawal of all troops. In 2001, the United States, "Kitty Hawk" aircraft carrier, leda number of the main ship, slowly into Singapore's Changi Naval Base. This is theU.S. Navy since the withdrawal from Subic Naval Base, the first U.S. aircraft carrier Zhubo a naval base in Southeast Asia. Seventh Fleet stationed in the Asia-Pacific andthe Fifth Fleet stationed in the Middle East can look after each other. "9.11" incident,the United States a terrorist organization by the name of combating the southernPhilippines to achieve the military to return to the Philippines, U.S. troops deployed inMindanao in addition to more than 500 joint special operations forces, but every year through the "shoulder to shoulder", "Card Flat "and other joint military exercise cycleto send troops to the Philippines thousands of people, the U.S. nuclear-poweredaircraft carriers, nuclear submarines, also visited the Philippines often use the exercisearea. This year in July, after 12 years of suspension, the United States announced theresumption of military ties with Indonesia's special forces.

also been advocated by some U.S. forces to strengthen military cooperation withSoutheast Asian countries against China. "Philippine Star" recently reported that theformer commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet, said James Lyons, the United States shouldconsider lending to the Philippines, a F-16 squadrons and two equipped withsupersonic training aircraft and ballistic missile frigate Philippine territorial waters inorder to strengthen defense capabilities. He also said, "Since Obama has been in the

South China Sea issue a direct challenge to China, the United States should follow theexample of the US-Philippine" Mutual Defense Treaty ", and other ASEAN countriesalso signed a similar treaty."

multilateral and bilateral territorial issues battle

Although the Southeast Asian countries on the controversial U.S. intervention in theSouth China Sea, but the South China Sea disputes with China in bilateral dialogue onthe stand is different from some Southeast Asian countries want to raise this issuewithin the whole of ASEAN, to ASEAN and China negotiated with one voice.Philippine Deputy Foreign Minister Basilio said earlier that the 10 ASEAN member

countries should establish the South China Sea, "the official code of conduct" in order to keep the controversial waters of the island and tensions. Zhuang land on the


8/28

"Global Times" said that in practice such a "Code of Conduct" is wanted by the SouthChina Sea into a multilateral dialogue to bilateral dialogue, thereby increasing theconditions of confrontation with China.

within ASEAN, between the many members there are also contradictions in ocean

issues. August of this year, Indonesia and Malaysia sudden warming sea border dispute. Demonstrations in Indonesia, keep domestic anti-horse, some demonstratorsalso threw to the Embassy of horse manure in India, the burning of Ma Guoguo flagand threatened to shave after the expulsion of horse people. In fact, between the twocountries in recent decades because of sea border issues often unclear in contradictionand friction. 1969, India and Malaysia on Sipadan Island in maritime conflict Ligitansovereignty, territorial issues between the two countries has become an extremelysensitive issue. Singapore's "Lianhe Zaobao," said Indonesia and Malaysia is a brother country, it is proposed, said the dispute should be resolved by the International, butIndonesia's Foreign Minister Marty insisted that Indonesia would not put the disputeto the International court.

village land on the "Global Times" reporter, said some Western media alwaysemphasized that China and ASEAN countries in the South China Sea dispute on theissue, but then for decades between the ASEAN countries have not solved territorialdisputes turn a blind eye. In fact, these disputes "never stop too." Such as Vietnam,recently stated publicly that the right of the territorial waters of the South China Sea isessentially a direct neural stimulation of the Philippines, Vietnam, the Philippinesworried about the "expansionist ambitions", Vietnam is also considered a movetouched Malaysia, Brunei's interests.

village land that most countries in the world, the territorial disputes are resolvedthrough bilateral efforts, the territorial dispute between Southeast Asian countries alsoshows that multilateral intervention does not actually help solve problems. 60s of lastcentury, two small islands between Malaysia and Indonesia due to the Sovereignty of "turn", and finally determined by the International Tribunal for the sovereignty of twoislands owned by Malaysia. But this failed to resolve the contradiction between thetwo ethnic hatred and historical memory has not faded.

village land that the recent ASEAN countries oppose U.S. involvement in the SouthChina Sea, Vietnam, senior Defense Department official to visit Beijing said publiclythat "Vietnam and the United States will not form a military alliance," This is because

either the Vietnamese or Philippine high-rise are well aware, the ASEAN countriesand China, "the overall situation of economic and trade cooperation," is much moreimportant than "the South China Sea dispute on the issue."

Ateneo de Manila University expert on international issues Lin Zhicong "GlobalTimes" reporter that even the South China Sea to the development of new code of conduct also requires recognition of the Chinese side, in the present circumstances,especially in China the feeling of being part of the external forces besieged the case of United, China is difficult to accept such a proposal. (Newspaper in the Philippines,Thailand, Indonesia, in a press reporter Impregnated Sunguang Yong Zhang Hui ChenWei Lai)

ASEAN DMM+


9/28

Vietnam to host 1 st ASEAN Defense Minister Plus meeting, Peoples Daily, July 29

Vietnam will host the first ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) inthe capital city Hanoi on Oct. 12 this year, said Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Defense Nguyen Chi Vinh here at a press conference on Thursday.

The meeting is expected to draw defense ministers from member countries of theAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and eight ASEAN dialogue

partners including Australia, China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, NewZealand, Russia and the United States, and representatives from the ASEANSecretariat, said Vinh.

Vinh said that the meeting marks a new development in the cooperation betweenASEAN and its dialogue partners to deal with increasingly complicated andtransnational security issues. It is aimed at building trust and confidence among

participating countries.

The conference takes place in the context that peace and development has become atendency and cross-border non-traditional challenges are emerging which a singlecountry cannot solve, he said.

During the upcoming meeting, the defense ministers are expected to discuss a varietyof issues including humanitarian aid, disaster relief, maritime security, counter-terrorism, and peacekeeping operations.

South China Sea

Concerned about Chinas rise, Southeast Asian nations build up militaries,Washington Post, August 9

The nations of Southeast Asia are building up their militaries, buying submarines and jet fighters at a record pace and edging closer strategically to the United States as ahedge against China's rise and its claims to all of the South China Sea.

Weapons acquisitions in the region almost doubled from 2005 to 2009 compared withthe five preceding years, according to data released by the Stockholm InternationalPeace Research Institute this year.

"There is a threat perception among some of the countries in Southeast Asia," saidSiemon Wezeman, senior fellow at the institute. "China is an issue there."

The buying spree is set to continue, with reports that Vietnam has agreed to pay $2.4 billion for six Russian Kilo-class submarines and a dozen Su-30MKK jet fightersequipped for maritime warfare. This is in addition to Australia's stated commitment to

buy or build nine more submarines and bolster its air force with 100 U.S.-built F-35s.Malaysia has also paid more than $1 billion for two diesel submarines from France ,and Indonesia has recently announced that it, too, will acquire new submarines.

Concerns in Southeast Asia about China's rise were on display in Hanoi in mid-Julyduring a regional security forum that included the Association of Southeast Asian
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90777/90851/7086234.htmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/08/AR2010080802631.htmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/08/AR2010080802631.htmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/countries/china.html?nav=elhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/countries/france.html?nav=elhttp://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90777/90851/7086234.htmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/08/AR2010080802631.htmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/08/AR2010080802631.htmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/countries/china.html?nav=elhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/countries/france.html?nav=el


10/28

Nations, the United States, China and other Asian powers. During the meeting,Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton for the first time effectively rejected China's claims to sovereignty over the whole 1.3 million-square-mile sea. Elevenother nations, led by Vietnam, backed the United States, leaving Chinese foreignminister Yang Jiechi noticeably shaken by the offensive, diplomats present said.

The Great Game for the Spratlys: Vietnam Takes Control, Asia Sentinel, August 6

Vietnam has been remarkably successful in getting the South China Sea issue back onto the international agenda, in the process underscoring its new ties with the UnitedStates and asserting Hanoi's leadership of Asean on this issue.

China is furious but its reaction, seemingly driven by President Hu and the People'sLiberation Army rather than the foreign ministry in strongly re-asserting China'sclaims to the whole sea, has brought further attention to the issue. It is being watchedclosely by Japan, and Russia and India are continuing to strengthen their relationswith Vietnam partly with the sea issue and navigation rights in mind.

However, the Southeast Asian countries in dispute with China would be in a verymuch stronger position to confront China's claims if they were able to resolve their own conflicting claims or at least engage in the joint exploitation to which they are intheory pledged. There is scant sign to date that they are going in that direction.

Essentially there are two rather separate issues in the dispute. The first, whichinvolves only the littoral countries China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia andBrunei (for these purposes Taiwan's claims are the same as China's).

The second is about freedom of navigation. That involves all major nations for whomthe waterway is crucial for their shipping, including nearby countries like Indonesia aswell as Japan, the US, etc. As China claims dominion over the entire sea as well as itsvarious islands and rocks, acceptance of its claim would turn the sea into a Chineselake to which others could only have access with China's consent even though Chinaand Taiwan between them own only about 20 the sea's coastline.

Indonesia additionally has a separate issue. Although China's claims do not impingeon any of its land waters, they come so close to the Natuna gas field that issues of ownership of gas deposits could become disputed, as well as seabed rights to the

northeast of the Natuna field.

Offshore oil and gas is important for the Southeast Asian states but much less so for China, for whom the region's reserves are assumed to be relatively small compared toits needs. Likewise fishing is of some interest to all the nations but over-fishing meansthis is less and less significant. China's over-riding interest is strategic.

Of the various disputed groups, the Paracels, which lie due east of Danang, are onlyclaimed by Vietnam and China which forcibly occupied them in the dying days of the South Vietnam regime. Only China and the Philippines dispute the Scarboroughshoal and Macclesfield bank.

It is the Spratly group which is the main bone of contention, with all claimants
http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2010/07/145095.htmhttp://www.asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2626&Itemid=367http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2010/07/145095.htmhttp://www.asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2626&Itemid=367


11/28

overlapping and where the non-Chinese ones need to find some common ground.Vietnam claims all the Spratlys by right of historical occupation even though most of them lie closer to the Philippine and Malaysian coasts.(China's claims are similarly

based on history, real or imagined) The Philippines claims most but not all on amixture of principles the archipelago principle, continental shelf, and occupation of

empty territory. The Malaysian and Brunei claims are based on the continental shelf principle the islands lie in seabed of less than 200 meters in depth extending fromtheir coastline.

As of now Vietnam has a presence on about 20, China about nine, the Philippinesabout eight, Malaysia three and Taiwan just on1 of the islands, rocks and shoals. Withsuch conflicting bases for their claims, as well as the claims themselves, it will beextraordinarily difficult for the non-Chinese nations to get together. Nationalistsentiment runs against abandoning any claims. Seemingly meaningless rocks becomenational symbols. Nor does it seem likely that they would agree to submit tointernational arbitration rulings in the way that Malaysia settled disputes withIndonesia and Singapore.

But they could surely agree and in this be joined by Indonesia and maybe Singapore in asserting both freedom of navigation and the principle that claims to specificislands do not include claims to 200-mile economic zones.

The navigation issue is doubly important because the main shipping channels, throughwhich pass a major portion of global sea trade -- run to the north of the Spratlys, anarea of widely varying depths and many shoals. The islands themselves are of economic value and only the continental shelves appear to offer oil and gas prospects.

On the question of history the non-Chinese could also form a common front at leastif they were better informed about their pre-colonial pasts. Vietnam's claims are basedon Vietnamese imperial records. But a much earlier claim can be made for the Chamempire, based in what is now central Vietnam. The Cham were a Hinduized,Austronesian (same language family as Malay, Tagalog etc) -speaking people who ranmuch of the trade in the south China sea until the 15th century. Vietnam may bereluctant to make a claim based on a nation it wiped out, but there is abundantevidence of trading across the southern and central part of this sea long before theChinese became involved.

Indeed despite the name given to it by westerners and then translated into Malay andTagalog, the South China Sea is more a Malay than a Chinese sea. In the days of theCham empire it was known as the Cham Sea. Seafarers from Borneo ran the spicetrade with China while those from Sumatra (the Sri Vijayan empire and others) theshipping that brought Chinese Buddhist pilgrims to India and Sri Lanka, and reachedthe coasts of Africa a thousand years before China's Admiral Zheng He during theMing dynasty.

Indeed, if the Asean claimants were to start with a joint study of their history tradingand fishing across the sea, they might have a better grasp of where their interests nowlie.

What lies beneath the South China Sea, The Irrawaddy, June 24
http://www.irrawaddy.org/highlight.php?art_id=18801http://www.irrawaddy.org/highlight.php?art_id=18801


12/28

The governments of Southeast Asia, already fertile ground for defense companies,have embarked on a round of buying submarines, the utility, safety and strategic valueof which looks doubtful. In fact, they may actually increase tensions in the region astheir lurking menace could swiftly turn a naval encounter from an incident into acrisis.

Singapore started it in 1995 by buying a surplus Swedish navy boat, with afurther three ordered in 1997, perhaps with designs to manufacture them onlicense rather than for defense. The first was commissioned in mid-2000 andfurther orders have since been made as the original boats have been retired.

Malaysia ordered two new Scorpene-class submarines from the Franco-SpanishDCNS/ Navantia consortium in 2002, with the first just having arrived in the countrythis year.

In late 2009 Vietnam ordered six Kilo-class submarines from a Russian yard, with thefirst delivery due by 2012. The governments of Indonesia and Thailand are also bothconsidering acquiring new submarines.

However, the growing use of unmanned underwater vehicles, in line with the better-known unmanned aerial 'drones,' is eroding the submarines' raison d'treparticularlyas defense budgets are squeezed and technology offers less costly but comparableresults.

The economic and technical metrics of operating manned submarines make themamong the most expensive weapon in any national arsenal. There are no accuratefigures tabulating the capital and recurring costs of submarine programs in Singapore,Malaysia and now Vietnam, including bases and crew training. But in order to keepone submarine operational a minimum of two boats, but preferably three, are needed.Each boat requires two full crewsplus support personnel and facilities.

Rough figures for the three navies make acquisition costs alone well in excess of US$3 billion, with combined annual running costs unlikely to fall much below US$1

billion by 2015, to marginally enhance deterrence of an enemy that is unlikely to

materialize.The cost-benefit value of conventional submarinesagainst the perceived value of

boats that carry the nuclear deterrence of major powersis also questionable. Sincethe end of World War II, Russia, France, the US, Britain, China and Israel together have lost at least 17 submarines in peacetime accidents. Only two have been recordedas being lost in conflicts. Over the same period just three vessels are acknowledged tohave been sunk by submarinesthe Indian frigate Khukri during the 1971 war withPakistan, the Argentine cruiser General Belgrano by a British boat during the 1982Falklands conflict and the South Korean corvette Cheonan in an attack by a NorthKorean mini-submarine in 2010.


13/28

Even as the Southeast Asians embark on their buying spree, many countries arereducing the size of their submarine fleetsnotably Germanyor have scrappedthem altogether, like Denmark. Other European powers are set to cancel or delay new

building programs based on economic and strategic assessments.

The attraction of submarines to defense planners lies in their stealth, flexibility anddeterrence. A conventional diesel-electric submarine armed with torpedoes, mines andanti-ship missiles and equipped with modern air-independent propulsion systems is aformidable weapon that the most advanced navies have to respect.

Their principal weakness is their high acquisition and running cost, the demands placed on an often limited skill base and their vulnerability within confined or shallowwaters. These factors have led most Southeast Asian navies to concentrate their resources on developing surface forces rather than invest in submarines that offereddoubtful strategic or even tactical benefits.

Indonesia

RI wants to buy US Fighters, Cargo Jets, Jakarta Post, July 1

Indonesia told the US it wants to buy billions of dollars of American-made militaryaircraft, in hopes that a US-embargo on military sales to the country may soon belifted, a Defense Ministry spokesman says.

During a bilateral meeting, the Indonesian government expressed its interest to purchase F-16 and C-130H Hercules [cargo] aircraft to complete its squadrons,

Defense Ministry spokesman I Wayan Midhio said on Wednesday.Indonesian Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro and US Secretary of DefenseRobert Gates discussed the potential sale during the Shangri-La defense dialogue inSingapore last month, Wayan said.

The US welcomed Indonesias proposal to buy more US-made military equipment, headded.

The US also pledged US$15.7 million to Indonesia in 2010 and $20 million in 2011under the aegis of capacity-building programs to help modernize the Indonesian

Military (TNI), Wayan said.

Military aid will be in the form of training and education to be carried out in bothIndonesia and the US, he added. The US offered to sell surplus fighter jets at steeply-discounted prices to persuade Indonesia to buy, Wayan said.

Indonesia currently has only four operational jet fighters less than a singlesquadron University of Indonesias military expert Andi Widjajanto said. Eachsquadron should have eight to 12 planes depending on operational, maintenance andtraining plans.

The Air Force has two operational commands in the countrys east and west. Eachcommand has two bases, which in turn require eight fighter squadrons per base, he
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/07/01/ri-wants-buy-us-fighters-cargo-jets.htmlhttp://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/07/01/ri-wants-buy-us-fighters-cargo-jets.html


14/28

said.

A fifth-generation F-16 jet fighter costs between $120 million and $140 million,without munitions. A fourth-generation F-16 Falcon fighter costs between $88 millionand $90 million, without munitions, Andi said.

There is a surplus of F-16s on the global arms market due to production overruns byUS defense contractor manufacturer Lockheed Martin. The companys capacity stillreflects Cold War production levels, Andi added.

The US is also replacing its squadrons of F-16 with newer F-22 Raptors and F-35Lightnings, he said. Both oversupply and change in preference have lowered pricesfor F-16s in the global market, he said.

It is unlikely that the country can purchase F-16s from the US because an embargo onarms sales to Indonesia is still in effect, Andi said.

Almost 90 percent of the embargo has been lifted since 2006, but lethal weaponssales have not been lifted and I think there is no sign that the US will do so, he said.

Therefore, purchasing a Hercules [cargo aircraft] may not be a problem, but purchasing a F-16 plane can be.

The US Congress imposed the military embargo over a decade ago citing humanrights violations committed by the Indonesian Armys Special Forces (Kopassus) inWest Papua and Timor Leste (then East Timor).

However a recently-signed bilateral defense framework arrangement allows Indonesiato procure military equipment from the US, as previously reported, though the USstated it still expects Kopassus to respect human rights.

Government agrees to sizeable expansion in defense budget, Jakarta Globe, May 4

The government has announced a plan to boost the defense budget from 0.9 percent of GDP to between 1.2 and 1.5 percent, citing the need for the military to meet theminimum essential force to thwart external threats.

The increase will take effect next year, Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro saidon Tuesday after a cabinet meeting with the president at the State Palace.

He declined to give an exact figure for the budget.

The ministrys 2010 budget is Rp 40.7 trillion ($4.5 billion), most of it allocated to payroll. With GDP this year projected at Rp 5,000 trillion, the ministrys 2011 budgetcould top Rp 60 trillion.

We informed the president that we need the extra funding for our main weaponssystem, so our military can reach its minimum essential force, Purnomo said. We

also need to consider budgeting for dealing with foreign exploitation of naturalresources and energy in our border areas.
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/government-agrees-to-sizeable-expansion-in-defense-budget/373135http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/government-agrees-to-sizeable-expansion-in-defense-budget/373135


15/28

He said the ministry would scale down its payroll allocation and shift more fundingtoward weapons procurement, saying the restructured budget would be one of zerohuman resources growth.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono earlier said he had discussed drafting anational defense policy.

Such a strategic policy will need presidential approval and be valid for five years,he said. It will serve as a reference for policies to build up the armed forces andmodernize our defenses.

Yudhoyono claimed that defense budgets prior to 2009 had been relatively small,although the CIA estimates Indonesias defense budget in 2005 as around 3 percent of GDP.

They were small compared to the defense budgets of Asean and other countries andas a proportion of GDP, the president said. However, with a growing GDP andincreased state budget, now is the time to significantly increase our defense budget.

He said that the correct long-term national defense strategy was required to use the budget effectively.

We hope that by 2014, our defense policy and armed forces will be close to meetingour minimum essential force, he said.

Vietnam

Former Enemies US, Vietnam now military mates, AP, August 8

Cold War enemies the United States and Vietnam demonstrated their blossomingmilitary relations Sunday as a U.S. nuclear supercarrier cruised in waters off theSoutheast Asian nation's coast sending a message that China is not the region'sonly big player.

The visit comes 35 years after the Vietnam War as Washington and Hanoi are cozyingup in a number of areas, from negotiating a controversial deal to share civilian nuclear

fuel and technology to agreeing that China needs to work with its neighbors to resolveterritorial claims in the South China Sea.

The USS George Washington's stop is officially billed as a commemoration of lastmonth's 15th anniversary of normalized diplomatic relations between the former foes.But the timing also reflects Washington's heightened interest in maintaining securityand stability in the Asia-Pacific amid tensions following the sinking of a SouthKorean warship in March, which killed 46 sailors. North Korea has been blamed for the attack, but has vehemently denied any involvement.

Last month during an Asian security meeting in Vietnam's capital, Hanoi, U.S.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton also angered China by unexpectedly
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gUMael2GN4bo5IGD5wVmRBK2uANQD9HFAIQG0http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gUMael2GN4bo5IGD5wVmRBK2uANQD9HFAIQG0


16/28

calling on the Communist powerhouse to resolve territorial claims with neighboringSoutheast Asian countries over islands in the South China Sea.

"The strategic implications and importance of the waters of the South China Sea andthe freedom of navigation is vital to both Vietnam and the United States," Capt. Ross

Myers, commander of the George Washington's air wing, said aboard the ship Sundayas fighter jets thundered off the flight deck above.

"I'm certain that the Chinese government and the Chinese people are trying to protecttheir interests," he added when asked about China's increased aggressiveness withinthe area. "It is more important for Vietnam (and) its partners to establish that theyhave an equal right to economic prosperity and peace within the region as well."

Chinese navy ships were seen shadowing the USS George Washington at a distanceover the past several days as the supercarrier made its way throught the South ChinaSea along Vietnam's eastern coast, U.S. Navy officials said Sunday.

Canadian firm says in deal for Vietnam Navy aircraft, AFP, May 12

A Canadian company says it has become the first Western firm to build fixed-wingaircraft for the military in communist Vietnam, which is seeking to upgrade itsmaritime defences.

Viking Air of Victoria, British Columbia, said it has finalised with the Vietnamesenavy a purchase agreement for six amphibious DHC-6 Twin Otter Series 400 aircraft,in a statement obtained by AFP on Wednesday.

It said the deal would give the navy its first fleet of fixed-wing aircraft, some of whichare designed specifically for marine patrol.

Each aircraft is priced at more than five million Canadian dollars (around five millionUS) but a Viking spokeswoman told AFP the total value of the deal, which includesflight training and other components, was yet to be determined.

The planes are scheduled for delivery from 2012 to 2014.

Vietnam late last month approved an 8.5-billion-dollar economic and defence

development plan for a string of islands along its resource-rich coastline, as a broader maritime sovereignty dispute simmers with China.

In December Vietnam and Russia -- a longtime supplier of military equipment toHanoi -- signed a major arms deal reported to involve the purchase of six submarines.

Analysts said the deal aims to bolster claims against China over potentially resource-rich islands in the South China Sea.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung confirmed only that the Russian deal includedsubmarines along with aircraft and "military equipment".
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g0SLywo8Ex194oPR301GkiA4qYCghttp://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g0SLywo8Ex194oPR301GkiA4qYCg


17/28

Russian media have reported that the aircraft order involved 12 Sukhoi Su-30MK2warplanes. They are among the world's most advanced and could provide air cover for the surface fleet, analysts said.

Vietnam to spend billions islands amid china dispute, AFP, May 4

Vietnam has announced an 8.5-billion-dollar economic and defence development planfor a string of islands along its resource-rich coastline, as a broader sovereigntydispute simmers with China.

A copy of the plan, dated April 28, was obtained by AFP on Tuesday.

It calls for development over a 10-year period of a string of islands stretching fromPhu Quoc near Cambodia in the southwest to Cat Ba off Haiphong in the north near China.

The document says authorities aim to boost seafood, tourism, agro-forestry and other sectors under the plan, which will require an estimated investment of 162.5 trilliondong (8.5 billion dollars) over 10 years to 2020.

"That's a significant wad of cash for Vietnam to be spending," said Ian Storey, afellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore. The plan also calls for increased investment in the islands' defences.

"It is essential to pay attention to security and defence tasks during arrangements for economic and civil projects on islands," the document says, calling for them to

become an "outer defence stronghold".The stronghold would include the Spratlys, the document says, although the SouthChina Sea archipelago is not among the islands listed for the economic developmentinitiative. Vietnam and China are engaged in a long-running dispute over sovereigntyof the Spratlys and another archipelago to the north, the Paracels, which Chinaoccupies. The archipelagos are considered strategic outposts with potentially vast oiland gas reserves and rich fishing grounds.

Taiwan also claims the Paracels, while the Spratlys are claimed in full or in part byChina and Vietnam as well as the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan. Over the

past year Vietnam has reported cases of fishing boats and equipment being seized byChina.

In the latest incident, reported by the state Vietnam News on Monday, China released23 Vietnamese fishermen but allegedly kept one of their boats and gear worth 500million dong. The men were arrested while fishing off the Paracels.

Among the islands included in Vietnam's development plan are Phu Quy and ConDao, off southern Vietnam, where the country already produces oil and gas.

Last year a US State Department official said Beijing told US and other foreign oilcompanies to halt work with Vietnamese partners in the South China Sea or faceconsequences.
http://www.mysinchew.com/node/38598http://www.mysinchew.com/node/38598


18/28

While Vietnam's island initiative appears to be about economic development, "another factor would be the need to protect these offshore oil and gas deposits" as well asfishing stocks, Storey said.

In December, Vietnam reached a major arms deal with Russia that was reported to

involve the purchase of six submarines. Analysts said the deal aimed to bolster Vietnam's maritime claims against China. The islands contribute about 0.2 percent of Vietnam's economy but this would more than double to 0.5 percent under thedevelopment plan, the government document said.

HANOIBeijing appears to be adopting a slightly more conciliatory tone over territorial disputes in the South China Sea, backing away from describing the area as

part of its "core interests," a US official said Tuesday.

Chinese officials in recent months reportedly described the South China Sea indiplomatic talks as among the country's "core interests," raising the stakes and puttingthe issue on a par with Tibet or Taiwan.

"They now, at least in some of our interactions with them, appear to have backedaway somewhat from the 'core interest' argument," said the senior defense official,who spoke on condition of anonymity.

His comments came on the sidelines of the highest level regional defense talks ever held in Asia, led by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Chinese leaders seem "to be seeking to come up with other ways to articulate their

approach to these issues," the official told reporters."It is probably fair to conclude that there is some internal debate in Beijing aboutexactly how they approach this set of issues."

China is involved in a series of long-running disputes with countries in the regionover strategically-important or potentially resource-rich islands.

President Barack Obama's administration has recently adopted a tougher line on theSouth China Sea disputes, backing up smaller countries in the region that hadcomplained Beijing was using bullying tactics.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton staked out the US position in July. She saidfreedom of navigation was a US "national interest" and indirectly questioned Beijing'sterritorial claims.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates restated the policy on Tuesday at the conference andsaid the US military would keep operating in what it considers international waters inthe Pacific, despite objections from China.

China's decision to attend Tuesday's conference was in itself a promising sign, USofficials said, suggesting Beijing wanted to reduce tensions and had not closed thedoor to a regional diplomatic approach to the maritime issue.


19/28

In a statement to the Hanoi meeting, Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie saidhis country was open to regional security cooperation.

The new forum "has appropriately set stronger mutual trust and understanding as oneof its basic objectives," he said.

"They're clearly here because they're trying to show a positive face in the region," thesenior US official said of the ASEAN-led conference.

China previously accused Washington of meddling in the issue and had said there wasno need for a multilateral deal.

Countries in Southeast Asia that have disagreed with China over maritime rights arenow trying to find "a more positive approach, a more constructive approach," theofficial said.

"I would say we feel like there is less of a sense of an immediate crisis today" over theSouth China Sea, he said.

There is hope that "we will not be translating differences in interpretation of international law or policy differences into unsafe and dangerous behavior on the highseas," the official said.

Comments on Obama's Visit: Part IV-- US, India & China

By B. Raman

On his way to China in November, 2009, President Barack Obama had made his firsthalt in Japan to underline the importance attached by him to the USAs relations withJapan, with which it has a security relationship. There were detailed references toChina in his speeches and comments in Tokyo. In one of his speeches, he said: "TheUnited States does not seek to contain China, nor does a deeper relationship withChina mean a weakening of our bilateral alliances. On the contrary, the rise of astrong, prosperous China can be a source of strength for the community of nations.And so in Beijing and beyond, we will work to deepen our Strategic and EconomicDialogue, and improve communication between our militaries. We will not agree onevery issue, and the United States will never waver in speaking up for the

fundamental values that we hold dear and that includes respect for the religion andcultures of all people. Because support for human rights and human dignity isingrained in America. But we can move these discussions forward in a spirit of

partnership rather than rancor."

2. After his visit to India from November 6 to 8,2010, he proceeded to Indonesia.There were detailed references to China in his remarks at Jakarta. Addressing themedia after his arrival in Jakarta from New Delhi on November 9, he reportedly saidthat the US will not seek to contain China. He added: "We want China to succeed and

prosper. China's continuous development is good for the US. He also said that theUS regards China as "a huge, expanding market, where Americans can sell goods andservices", and treats China's prosperity and security as "a positive".


20/28

3. As compared to his readiness to speak openly and in detail about China at Tokyolast year and at Jakarta now, he was economical in his references to China during hisstay in India. However, in his address to the Indian Parliament on November 8, hespoke of his policy of deepening co-operation with India and China in two differentcontexts. He spoke of his policy of comprehensive engagement with the world based

on mutual interest and mutual respect. He then added: And a central pillar of thisengagement is forging deeper cooperation with 21st century centers of influence - and that must necessarily include India.

4. Subsequently, he referred to the US again playing a leadership role in Asia and, inthis context, he said: More broadly, India and the United States can partner in Asia.Today, the United States is once again playing a leadership role in Asia -strengthening old alliances; deepening relationships, as we are doing with China; andwere reengaging with regional organizations like ASEAN and joining the East Asiasummit - organizations in which India is also a partner. Like your neighbors inSoutheast Asia, we want India not only to look East, we want India to engageEast - because it will increase the security and prosperity of all our nations.

5. After his visit to China in November,2009, there were concerns in India that he wasgiving greater priority to the USAs relations with China. There were also concernsover the following formulation in the Joint Statement issued by him and President HuJintao: The two sides welcomed all efforts conducive to peace, stability anddevelopment in South Asia. They support the efforts of Afghanistan and Pakistan tofight terrorism, maintain domestic stability and achieve sustainable economic andsocial development, and support the improvement and growth of relations betweenIndia and Pakistan. The two sides are ready to strengthen communication, dialogueand cooperation on issues related to South Asia and work together to promote peace,stability and development in that region.

6. In the weeks preceding Obamas visit to India, there was an attempt by the ObamaAdministration to remove the impression in the Indian mind that his administrationwas giving greater priority to China and was encouraging a strategic role for China inSouth Asia in the context of Afghanistan and Indo-Pakistani relations. The US policywas clarified by Mrs. Hillary Clinton, the Secretary of State, in a speech at the East-West Centre at Honolulu on October 28. She said: "The relationship between Chinaand the United States is complex and of enormous consequence but we are committedto getting it right. There are some in both countries who believe that China's interests

and ours are fundamentally at odds. They apply a zero-sum calculation to our relationship, so whenever one of us succeeds, the other must fail. But that is not our view. In the 21st century, it is not in anyone's interest for the United States and Chinato see each other as adversaries. In a crowded field of highly dynamic, increasinglyinfluential emerging nations, two stand out: India and China. Their simultaneous riseis reshaping the world and our ability to cooperate effectively with these countrieswill be a critical test of our leadership."

7. The policy of co-operating effectively with both India and China was alsounderlined by Obamas White House aides in their interactions with the media beforehis visit. This policy of equality of strategic relationship with both India and China

without favouring one to the detriment of the other is reflected in the references toIndias engagement with the East in Obamas address to the Indian Parliament and in


21/28

the following formulation in the Joint Statement issued by him and Manmohan Singh:The two leaders have a shared vision for peace, stability and prosperity in Asia, theIndian Ocean region and the Pacific region and committed to work together, and withothers in the region, for the evolution of an open, balanced and inclusive architecturein the region. In this context, the leaders reaffirmed their support for the East Asia

Summit and committed to regular consultations in this regard. The United Stateswelcomes, in particular, India's leadership in expanding prosperity and security acrossthe region. The two leaders agreed to deepen existing regular strategic consultationson developments in East Asia, and decided to expand and intensify their strategicconsultations to cover regional and global issues of mutual interest, including Centraland West Asia. In an increasingly inter-dependent world, the stability of, and accessto, the air, sea, space, and cyberspace domains is vital for the security and economic

prosperity of nations. Acknowledging their commitment to openness and responsibleinternational conduct, and on the basis of their shared values, India and the UnitedStates have launched a dialogue to explore ways to work together, as well as withother countries, to develop a shared vision for these critical domains to promote

peace, security and development. The leaders reaffirmed the importance of maritimesecurity, unimpeded commerce, and freedom of navigation, in accordance withrelevant universally agreed principles of international law, including the United

Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and peaceful settlement of maritimedisputes.

8. Thus according to him, just as China has a useful role to play in South Asia asstated in his Joint Statement with Hu, India has a useful role to play in South-East andEast Asia. It is evident that the US will not like to get involved in matters relating tothe Sino-Indian border dispute. Recent remarks by Mrs. Clinton and other US officialshave indicated that the US will not be averse to playing a role in the search for amutually satisfactory solution to the maritime disputes involving China with Japan inthe East China Sea and with some ASEAN countries in the South China Sea. But, itdoes not envisage a role for itself in the territorial disputes between India and China.This suits India too which prefers sorting out bilateral issues----whether with Pakistanor China--- at the bilateral level without the involvement of third parties.

9. What India would want is that just as it would prefer the US continuing its effective presence in Afghanistan to act as a check on Pakistan, it would prefer the UScontinuing its effective presence in South-East and East Asia to act as a check onChina without itself getting involved in any relationship with the US which might be

interpreted by Beijing as directed against it.

10. What does Obama mean by saying that India and the US can partner in Asia?What will be the objectives of such partnership? How would India react to the

proposal? Answers to these questions are not available. As part of the policy of re-asserting the US leadership in Asia, there has recently been a surge in US diplomaticactivity in South-East and East Asia and Australia. Mrs. Clinton and Robert Gates, theDefence Secretary, had visited separately a number of countries in the region. Theyhad also visited jointly South Korea and Australia.

11. From their statements and comments and from those of Obama, it would appear

that what Obama probably has in mind is not the revival of the idea of his predecessor George Bush of a four-cornered strategic relationship involving the US, India, Japan


22/28

and Australia, but parallel strategic partnerships of the US with each of thesecountries in order to strengthen peace and security in the region without giving it theshape of an alliance. Where would the USAs relations with China----which Obamawants to deepen simultaneously--- fall in this parallel arrangement? It is not clear.Obamas new Asian policy is still taking shape and not much thought seems to have

been given by his advisers to the various implications of it.

12. This may please be read in continuation of my following articles:

a. OBAMA: How to Cooperate Effectively With Both India & China of October 29,2010, at http://www.southasiaanalysis.org/papers42/paper4135.html

b. The Return of the US to Asia: Core Interests Vs Mutual Interests of November 3,2010, at http://www.southasiaanalysis.org/papers42/paper4142.html

The Return of the US to Asia: Core Interests Vs Mutual Interests

By B. Raman

The forthcoming visit of President Barack Obama to India, Indonesia, Japan andSouth Korea will be as important as his earlier swing through the Asia-Pacific regionafter assuming office in January 2009. His first swing was in November last year when he visited Japan, Singapore, China and South Korea.

2. Japan and South Korea are figuring in both these swings, indicating the importanceattached by him to the USA's relations with its two military allies in Asia.

Highlighting the USA's solidarity with these two countries and its securitycommitments to them have been an important hallmark of his Asia-Pacific policy.One has again seen this recently in the joint exercises held by the US Navy with theSouth Korean Navy despite Chinese concerns in the wake of the alleged sinking of aSouth Korean naval ship by North Korea and in the reiteration by Mrs. HillaryClinton, Secretary of State, during her current swing across the Asia-Pacific regionthat the US security commitments to Japan covered the Senkaku group of islands inthe East China Sea too. While the US wished for a peaceful resolution of the dispute

between Japan and China, its security commitments to Japan will continue to cover these islands too so long as there is no definitive settlement between Japan and Chinaon the question of sovereignty over the islands.

2. In addition to Japan and South Korea, his Asia-Pacific focus has been on China,India and Indonesia in that order. The reasons for the priority given to China in hisAsia-Pacific policy have been economic as well as military------ the impact of China'srise as an economic power on the US economy and the impact of China's rise as amilitary power on peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region and on the freedom of navigation in the waters of the area. Economic issues such as the alleged Chinesemanipulation of the value of its currency in order to maintain its exports to the US tothe detriment of the US manufacturing sector and the alleged Chinese use of itsmonopoly in the production of rare earths as a political weapon against countries suchas Japan are increasingly figuring in the diplomatic discourse between the US andChina.
http://www.southasiaanalysis.org/papers42/paper4135.htmlhttp://www.southasiaanalysis.org/papers42/paper4142.htmlhttp://www.southasiaanalysis.org/papers42/paper4135.htmlhttp://www.southasiaanalysis.org/papers42/paper4142.html


23/28

3.China-related issues with military implications such as the increasing assertivenessof the Chinese Navy, the modernisation of its armed forces and Beijing's repeatedemphasis on its "core interests" even if they are at the expense of the "mutualinterests" of the countries of the region have led to two consequences. Firstly, a USdetermination to maintain the primacy of its Navy in the Asia-Pacific region and

secondly, its increasing interest in bilateral issues involving China and the countries of the region such as China's disputes with Japan and some ASEAN countries,

particularly Vietnam, on the question of sovereignty over the islands in the East andSouth China Sea.

4. Obama's enhanced interest in India has economic as well as military origin.Economically, while the Indian manufacturing sector poses no threat to the USmanufacturing sector similar to the threat posed by the Chinese manufacturing sector,India's services sector, particularly its lead in the information technology sector, iscasting, in his view, a lengthening shadow on the US job market. Hence, hisunyielding pressure against outsourcing to India to the detriment of the unemployed inthe US. Obama's inability to deal effectively with the US economy has been animportant contributing factor to the decline in his popularity and to the set-back expected to be suffered by his party in the current mid-term elections to the USCongress. It could come in the way of his own chances of re-election as the President.Obama's economic pressure against both China---on the question of its manipulatedcurrency--- and India on the issue of outsourcing would continue at least till the nextPresidential elections. Neither China nor India can expect any gestures from him oneconomic issues.

4. The military origin of his enhanced interest in India arises from the huge Indianmarket for military equipment. An increase in the US sales of military equipment toIndia will have three benefits for the US: an increase in jobs in the US, enhanced US

political influence on Indian policy-making and a check on China's power aspirationsin the region. The pressure on India to buy more military equipment from the US willcontinue to be an important component of the US policy towards India. Continuingrestrictions on the sale of military-related equipment to China and a gradualrelaxation of the existing curbs in relation to India are to be expected in the months tocome.

5. A major enunciation of the US policy towards the Asia-Pacific region came in oneof Obama's speeches in Japan during his first swing in November, 2009. He said:

"There must be no doubt. As Americas first Pacific President, I promise you that thisPacific nation will strengthen and sustain our leadership in this vitally important partof the world." He described himself as the USA's first Pacific President because of his

birth in Hawaii, his living in Indonesia as a boy and his mother spending nearly adecade working in the villages of Southeast Asia. He added: The Pacific rim hashelped shape my view of the world."

6. In his enunciation of what will be his policy in the Asia-Pacific region, he said:"Since taking office, I have worked to renew American leadership and pursue a newera of engagement with the world based on mutual interests and mutual respect. Andour efforts in the Asia Pacific will be rooted, in no small measure, through an

enduring and revitalized alliance between the United States and Japan."


24/28

7. Explaining why he decided to start his first swing from Japan, he said that he was beginning his journey there in part because of "our common values a belief in thedemocratic right of free people to choose their own leaders and realize their owndreams; a belief that made possible the election of both Prime Minister Hatoyama andmyself on the promise of change."

8. He had a message for China too. "The United States does not seek to contain China,nor does a deeper relationship with China mean a weakening of our bilateralalliances. On the contrary, the rise of a strong, prosperous China can be a source of strength for the community of nations. And so in Beijing and beyond, we will work to deepen our Strategic and Economic Dialogue, and improve communication

between our militaries. We will not agree on every issue, and the United States willnever waver in speaking up for the fundamental values that we hold dear and thatincludes respect for the religion and cultures of all people. Because support for humanrights and human dignity is ingrained in America. But we can move these discussionsforward in a spirit of partnership rather than rancor."

9. Chinese analysts looked upon his first swing across the region, the subsequentswings of Mrs. Clinton and other US policy-makers and the increasing US interest inits relations with the ASEAN and its member-countries as "the return of the US toAsia" ---- to underline that it was determined to maintain its political and military

primacy in this region and not to concede it to China. While the Chinese have theconfidence that China can compete against the US economically, they do not have theconfidence that it can compete against it ideologically, politically and militarily.

10. After having seen the increased articulation of the US interests in this region after his first swing, they are watching nervously what the second swing will portend for China and its big power ambitions. It is significant that just as Obama chose Japan, ademocracy, for the start of his first swing, he has chosen India, another democracy,for the start of his second swing. Just as he emphasised the USA's ideologicalcompatibility with Japan in his address in Tokyo, the spotlight during his visit to Indiawill be on the USA's ideological compatibility with India.

11. What would this mean in terms of the USA's relations with India and China? Thatis the question to which Chinese analysts are trying to find an answer. They are stillconfused.

OBAMA: HOW TO COOPERATE EFFECTIVELY WITH BOTHINDIA & CHINA

By B.Raman

How to co-operate effectively with both India and China without seeming to favour the relationship with one at the cost of the relationship with the other?

2. That will be one of the main strategic objectives of President Barack Obamasforthcoming Asian tour during which he will be visiting India, Indonesia, Japan andSouth Korea. His observations during his visit to China in November last year hadgiven rise to an impression in India that his administration had downgraded the


25/28

importance attached to the USAs relations with India by his predecessor GeorgeBush and had started viewing India as a sub-regional power not on par with China.

3. Correcting this impression without adding to Chinese fears of an attempt by the USto use India against China will be one of the objectives of his forthcoming visit to

India and his subsequent meeting on November 11 with President Hu Jintao of Chinain the margins of the G-20 summit in South Korea. The policies of the Bushadministration had given rise to fears in the Chinese mind that it was seeking to useIndia and Japan to encircle China. Obamas attempts to play down these fears hadcreated suspicions in Indias mind that he did not accord the same importance to theUSAs relations with India as Bush had done.

4. Obama is keen to remove the impression in India that its importance vis--visChina had been downgraded by him while at the same time reassuring China that ithas nothing to fear from closer Indo-American relations. A preview of how heintended doing this has been available from the remarks of Mrs.Hillary Clinton, theUS Secretary of State, during her current tour of East and South-East Asia.

5. She has been quoted as saying as follows in a speech during her first halt atHonolulu on October 28,2010: "The relationship between China and the United Statesis complex and of enormous consequence but we are committed to getting it right.There are some in both countries who believe that China's interests and ours arefundamentally at odds. They apply a zero-sum calculation to our relationship, sowhenever one of us succeeds, the other must fail. But that is not our view. In the 21stcentury, it is not in anyone's interest for the United States and China to see each other as adversaries. In a crowded field of highly dynamic, increasingly influentialemerging nations, two stand out: India and China. Their simultaneous rise isreshaping the world and our ability to cooperate effectively with these countries will

be a critical test of our leadership."

6. This strategic objective of finding ways of co-operating effectively with both Indiaand China is expected to be the main theme of his discussions with the Indian leadersin New Delhi and his meeting with Hu Jintao in Seoul on November 11 as well as of the meeting on October 29 of Hillary Clinton with Chinese state councillor DaiBingguo in Hainan.

7.From the various background briefings given by officials of the White House and

the State Department at Washington DC on the eve of Obamas visit to Asia, it isfairly clear that his visit to India will have a much larger strategic canvas than whatone had seen during the visit of Bush in 2006. It will not have a single point focus.There will be no flagship issue. The larger strategic issue of the US, India and Chinain Asia will be the defining theme of his visit. Other subjects such as theimplementation of the civil nuclear co-operation agreement, removal of the names of some Indian establishments from the so-called list of entities barred access to UStechnology, Indian purchase of US military equipment etc are likely to be discussed inthe margins of this defining theme, but at the sub-summit level by the officials of thedelegations without Obama himself devoting too much attention to it.

8. However, counter-terrorism co-operation will continue to be an important subjecton the summit agenda in view of the importance attached to it by Indian public and


26/28

political opinion and the continuing negative impact of terrorism on Indias relationswith Pakistan. What contribution the US can make to removing the distrust betweenIndia and Pakistan will be a subject next in importance to the role of the US, India andChina in Asia.

9. The question of US support to Indias permanent membership of the UN SecurityCouncil will be a tricky issue. There is no question of the US working for it unless itis certain that Japan and Germany too get in. Even in the unlikely event of Chinachanging its present opposition to India becoming a permanent member, there is noquestion of its supporting Japan now or ever.

10.Obamas visit will have a mix of symbolism and substance. The symbolism will beseen in Mumbai where he will demonstrate his solidarity with India in its fight againstterrorism and pay a tribute to the resilience of Mumbai and its business community inthe face of repeated terrorist strikes in this business city. He has deliberately chosenDiwali for the start of his visit to underline his confidence that ultimately good will

prevail over evil. The substance will be seen during his talks with the Indian leaders in New Delhi and in his address to the joint session of the Parliament.

11. Next to his visit to India, his visit to Indonesia, with the largest Muslim populationin the world, will be of major significance. He is expected to address the Islamicworld from Indonesia in continuation of his address from Cairo last year. He isexpected to focus on the thinning down of the US military presence in Iraq, hiskeenness for a similar thinning down in Afghanistan and the goodwill of the US to theMuslims of the world even while carrying on its fight against Al Qaeda and itsassociates.

When Hillary Clinton told the ASEAN regional forum in Hanoi this past Julythat it was in the United States interest that sovereignty issues in the EasternSea be settled by negotiations, not force, it sent a shockwave through the region.Unlike her husbands conciliatory stance vis--vis an expanding China, theSecretary of State seemed ready to challenge Chinas dominance in the EasternSea when she declared, We oppose the use or threat of force by any claimant.Now the United States is making good on its promise by engaging in jointmilitary exercises with Chinas neighbor, Vietnam.

Her declaration struck a special chord in Vietnam, the country most affected by

Chinas aggressiveness. Vietnams skirmish with China resulted in the neardepletion of Vietnams navy in 1988.

The Chinese navy, in fact, frequently killed or harassed Vietnamese fishermenoperating within Vietnams territorial waters. These incidents added to aconsistent pattern of Chinese expansionism: conquest of the Paracel Islands in1974; occupation of the Spratly archipelago in 1979; and annexation of the12,000 square kilometers of territorial waters in the Vinh Bac Bo (Gulf of Tonkin) conceded by Hanoi, under the 2000 Vinh Bac Bo Pact.

Young Vietnamese flocked to Internet chat rooms to hail the new U.S.

assertiveness as a necessary counter-weight approach to Chinese expansionism.One reporter wrote that Hillary Clintons statement lit up the faces of people


27/28

deadlocked and saddened by the risk of losing the country entirely. OneVietnamese journalist reported that he would write a letter to President Obamato commend him for his firmness in dealing with the new Chinese threat inSouth-East Asia.

To add teeth to Clintons statement, the heavily armed super aircraft carrier,George Washington, made its way through the Eastern Sea along Vietnamscoast in August -- after a high profile exercise with the South Korean navyfollowing the sinking of a South Korean warship allegedly by a North Koreantorpedo. A group of high-ranking Vietnamese military and civilian officials wasflown onto the aircraft carrier cruising 200 miles off the port of Danang, the siteof the landing of the first contingent of American marines in March 1965. Twodays after the George Washington stop, on August 10, the USS John McCaindestroyer paid a port call to Danang to participate in training exercises with theVietnamese navy.

However, what angered China most was not the U.S. navy port calls to Vietnambut reports of a controversial U.S.-Vietnam nuclear fuel and technology deal thatcould allow Vietnam to enrich uranium on its soil. A nuclear-armed Vietnam, inthe long run, would constitute a far more formidable deterrent to Chinasterritorial ambitions than it is now.

Lost amid the new geopolitical realignment and rising US-Sino tensions in South-East Asia, however, is the fact that Vietnam is itself caught in an insolublepolitical dilemma. There is a saying in political circles in Vietnam that if youappease China you lose the country, but if you follow the United States you losethe Communist Party because the influx of new ideas, technology and moneywould accelerate a democratization that could ultimately bring down the corruptand unpopular regime.

For Vietnam communist leaders, it is a lose-lose situation because the continuouserosion of the nations territorial integrity could trigger a popular uprising andeven a revolt within the army that had fought a bloody border war against Chinain 1979 and has grown increasingly frustrated with the party leadershipssubservience to Vietnams historic enemy to the north.

As for the United States, it is once again in a position to exert its leverage in this

strategic area of the world. By conditioning the granting of military support onthe improvement of Hanois human rights record, the United States could helpensure a free and democratic Vietnam that would be better able to stand up toChinese expansionism.

Ironically, 35 years after its humiliating defeat, the United States without firinga shot -- is closer than ever to realizing its original goal of an independent andnon-Communist Vietnam for which 58,000 Americans and hundreds of thousands South Vietnamese have given their lives.

Thi Lam, a former general in the South Vietnamese army, is the author of "The

Twenty-five Year Century: A South Vietnamese General Remembers the


28/28

Indochina War to the Fall of Saigon" and most recently, "Hell in An Loc: The1972 Easter Invasion and the Battle That Saved South Vietnam."

Documents

Us China Vietnam