Asean, Japan leaders vow to strengthen dialog amid Chinese aggression in SCS

Tiziana Celine Piatos·17 December 2023, 6:41 pm·1 min read

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Asean, Japan leaders vow to strengthen dialog amid Chinese aggression in SCS — A Chinese Coast Guard ship sails near a Philippine vessel (R) that was part of a convoy of civilian boats in the disputed South China Sea on 10 December 2023. A convoy of civilian boats planning to deliver provisions to Filipino fishermen and troops in the disputed South China Sea aborted the trip on December 10 after "constant shadowing" by Chinese vessels, the organiser said. (Photo by TED ALJIBE / AFP)

The leaders from Southeast Asia and Japan on Sunday agreed to improve communication and collaboration in "maritime security" in response to China's increasing aggression in the area.

In a joint statement, Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations agreed to "strengthen dialogue and cooperation for the maintenance of maritime security and safety, maritime order based on the rule of law, including freedom and safety of navigation and overflight and unimpeded commerce."

Without naming China, the agreement mentioned that the countries would "enhance maritime domain awareness as well as cooperation among coastguards and relevant law enforcement agencies, strengthen cooperation on maritime capacity building, and ensure the resolution of disputes by peaceful means, without resorting to threat or use of force in accordance with universally recognized principles of international law."

"We reaffirm our commitment to uphold international law, including the UN Charter and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea," the Joint Vision Statement on ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation read.

These, according to the joint statement, are in line with internationally accepted legal concepts, such UNCLOS, which establishes the rules and regulations for defining rights and responsibilities in seas and oceans.

At a news conference following the meeting, Japanese Prime Minister Fukio Kishida said, "As the world faces a complex set of crises due to deepening division and confrontation, Japan will face that situation together with ASEAN, which plays a key role in a free and open Indo-Pacific region."

Japan's aid to the developing nations used to be a major factor in the relationship between Japan and ASEAN, partly because of resentment over Japan's actions during the war. However, in light of China's increasing aggressiveness in the South China Sea, the focus of the ties has shifted to security in recent years, whereas Japan's postwar pacifist posture and efforts to establish trust have promoted better relations.

Beijing claimed most of the areas of the South China Sea, even the waters and landmasses hundreds of nautical miles distant from its borders – including the West Philippine Sea.

China has frequently based its claims on the ancient nine-dash line, but a 2016 arbitral verdict that was overturned by the Philippines and disregarded by Beijing did away with this.

Western countries have consistently urged China to abide by international norms, especially the UNCLOS, despite China's insistence that the territorial dispute is a regional conflict. This is because the South China Sea is an important sea lane that is home to an estimated $3.37 trillion worth of goods, or 21 percent of global trade.