An important issue

At last, ASEAN has come out with a unified statement calling for a halt to China's reclamation and construction on disputed islands, as well as intimidation of other countries' vessels and fishermen. This is what we have been asking ASEAN to do ever since. In 2012, when Cambodia hosted the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting, they blocked all efforts to bring up the issue, being an ally of China. But many have now seen the issue too important to just put aside. In the 48th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting in Malaysia which was attended by other countries such the US and Japan as well as China, the issue of China's massive reclamation and construction was at the center of talks.

China has said that it has no plans nor the inclination to talk about anything concerning the disputed islands. They maintain the arrogant belief that they do own all of the oceans and that they have the right to do anything they please. The country's representatives rebuked China's statement, saying that the matter must be discussed as the massive reclamation and construction now pose a security threat to the region. This is also the stand of the US and Japan. Surveillance photos of the disputed islands where reclamation and construction have been done showed runways and military style buildings.

What China plans to do is create remote outposts from where their military can launch patrols on the area. China has essentially militarized the waters. And now, they want to do the same to the airspace. Totally unacceptable.

US Secretary of State John Kerry has had discussions with China's foreign minister. The outcome of the said meeting has not been made public, but knowing China's two-faced character, they may show to cooperate on a diplomatic level but not on an actual one. China has always said that it will not be involved in discussions in an international forum, but would want a one-on-one with claimant countries. China knows they cannot justify their actions internationally, so they would rather "convince" individual nations instead. How they would do that is pretty obvious. They have already threatened and bullied vessels and fishermen who have lost livelihood.

It really is time to mount international pressure on China. We know that aside from ASEAN, the US, Japan and Australia are all calling on China to stop its activities on the West Philippine Sea. It would be nice if the European Union did the same, as well as other countries. The world does not need another bully. The oceans must be free for all to use, not just by one country stating a questionable claim.