Research Fellow of Asia Studies of the UK Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies Edward Schwarch has described China’s illegal placement of a rig in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in the East Sea as a serious challenge to the region.
In a recent exclusive interview to Vietnam News Agency, the expert recalled China’s grab of Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago by force 40 years ago and its pursuit of the “nine-dot” sovereignty claim with a series of acts threatening regional maritime security.
China’s illegal placement of the rig can be part of the strategy Beijing is implementing to accelerate the change of the status quo in the East Sea, he said, adding the problem for regional countries now is to find out a suitable measure to demonstrate their reaction.
This move exposes contradictions deep within China’s policy toward Southeast Asia, the expert said, predicting that this approach will cause many problems in the time to come.
He said the timing of the move is noteworthy as it was made right after US President Barak Obama’s Asia visit. It can be taken as China’s reaction to the US.
Schwarck said the international community should have a more active involvement in this issue in the direction of encouraging China to become a fairer and more responsible power of the world.-VNA
In a recent exclusive interview to Vietnam News Agency, the expert recalled China’s grab of Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago by force 40 years ago and its pursuit of the “nine-dot” sovereignty claim with a series of acts threatening regional maritime security.
China’s illegal placement of the rig can be part of the strategy Beijing is implementing to accelerate the change of the status quo in the East Sea, he said, adding the problem for regional countries now is to find out a suitable measure to demonstrate their reaction.
This move exposes contradictions deep within China’s policy toward Southeast Asia, the expert said, predicting that this approach will cause many problems in the time to come.
He said the timing of the move is noteworthy as it was made right after US President Barak Obama’s Asia visit. It can be taken as China’s reaction to the US.
Schwarck said the international community should have a more active involvement in this issue in the direction of encouraging China to become a fairer and more responsible power of the world.-VNA
