Produced and Published by Observer Research Foundation 1 Vol. II ...

Vol. II, Issue 5 – May 2013
THE ISSUE: South China Sea Code of Conduct
In the 22 nd ASEAN Summit held on 24-25 April 2013, Southeast Asian leaders “reaffirmed the importance of peace,
stability, and maritime security in the region.” The Chairman’s Statement noted that ASEAN would “continue to
work actively with China on the way forward for the early conclusion of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea
(COC) on the basis of consensus”. The statement also noted that all disputes must be resolved in accordance with
the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and stressed on the importance for the need of a legally binding code of
conduct and that ASEAN will be pursuing the matter with China. In November 2002, ASEAN and China signed the
Declaration on the conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) wherein it was reaffirmed that “the adoption of
a code of conduct in the South China Sea would further promote peace and stability in the region and agree to work,
on the basis of consensus, towards the eventual attainment of this objective.”
Even after ten years since the DOC was signed, China and ASEAN are yet
to develop a formally binding COC in the South China Sea. In July 2011,
ASEAN and China agreed on a set of implementation guidelines for the
DOC but have not yet engaged in talks to frame the COC. In July 2012,
China issued a statement stating that “it is willing to work with the ASEAN
countries to discuss formulating the COC when the conditions are ripe”.
Later that month, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers released a statement on
“Six Point Principles on the South China Sea” in which one of the points
was “early conclusion of a Regional Code of Conduct in the South China
Sea”.
Despite the efforts and the interests of the ASEAN nations to draw a legally binding COC, it has failed to engage
China in formulating the document. Moreover, ASEAN itself is divided over issues on the South China Sea.
Cambodia a close ally of China pushed for Beijing’s inclusion in the ASEAN discussion which was strongly opposed
by the Philippines and the Vietnam. The Philippines argue that China should be invited for discussions and
negotiations once ASEAN has formulated its own COC. Discussion regarding the COC is obstructed by the
different approaches adopted by China and the Philippines and Vietnam respectively. During his recent visit to
Indonesia, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has proposed open negotiations with ASEAN to draw up binding
rules of conduct in the South China Sea and according to ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh, a special
meeting between ASEAN and Chinese foreign ministers will be held in August to discuss the code of conduct issue.
Recent Analyses on the Issue
Ian Storey, “Slipping Away? A South China Sea Code of Conduct Eludes Diplomatic Efforts”, CNAS, 20 March 2013.
Leszek Busszynski, “ASEAN, the Declaration on Conduct, and the South China Sea”, Contemporary Southeast Asia, Vol.25, No.4, 2003, pp.
343-62.
Carlyle A. Thayer, “ASEAN’s Code of Conduct in the South China Sea: A Litmus Test for Community-Building?”, The Asia Pacific Journal,
10 no. 4, August 2012.
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1

MEDIA WATCH COMMENTARIES REPORT
Chinese officials fill up first
Sansha cruise in disputed seas
ASEAN, Chinese Foreign
Ministers to meet over South
China Sea disputes
South China Sea disputes
dominate first day of ASEAN
summit
ASEAN upbeat on progress on
South China Sea
Eight Chinese vessels enter
Senkaku area
Chinese navy patrols Diaoyu
Islands on treaty anniversary
China accuses Japan of ‘making
trouble’ over Senkaku Islands
China points finger at U.S. over
Asia-Pacific tensions
Chinese navy continues highsea
training
Japan, Vietnam to hold maritime
security talks in May
Japan, Taiwan agree on fishing
zone near disputed islands
China to boost maritime
training, says PLA Navy's Jiang
Weilie
India’s interest in the South
China Sea: Freedom of
Navigation
- Darshana M. Baruah
The South China Sea (SCS) is
major Sea Line of Communication
(SLOC) and an important trade
route. Conflict in the area concerns
all Asian nations including India.
Though India is not a claimant in
the territorial disputes in the region it
holds an interest in the Freedom of
Navigation (FON). China treats
the SCS as its internal waters which
invariable affects India’s interest.
New Delhi has reiterated its stance
on the “Freedom of Navigation”
underlining the necessity for
uninterrupted access to international
waters. India must stand committed
to its rhetoric on the FON and to
defend its interests should the need
arise. This in turn would involve
deepening naval cooperation with the
key countries of the ASEAN and
major powers sharing India’s interest
in defending the principle of FON.
This article looks at India’s primary
interest in the SCS in the context of
growing Chinese assertiveness.
Interaction with Vice Admiral
Scott H. Swift, Commander,
US 7 th Fleet
The United States is in a unique
situation where it continues to say it
does not take a position in the
territorial disputes in South China
Sea and East China Sea, but it has
treaty obligations with Japan
Thailand and the Philippines. If
these countries were attacked, the
US would be compelled to invoke the
treaty obligations, Admiral Swift
said during an interaction with
ORF scholars.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
The section provides a list of recent
publications on the South China
Sea disputes:
ARTICLES
COMMENTARIES
PAPERS
REPORTS
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2

MEDIA WATCH
Chinese officials fill up first
Sansha cruise in disputed seas
More civil servants than actual
tourists climbed aboard the first
Chinese cruise ship to visit
disputed South China Sea islands
on 28 April. Only 100 of 240
passengers were regular citizens,
the Shanghai
Morning
Post reported on 29 April. The rest
were civil servants from various
government organs in Hainan
province. The debut cruise went to
the Paracel Islands' Sansha, the
newly established prefecture-level
city created last year to consolidate
China's de facto control. As many
as 100 tourists paid between 7,000
Yuan (HK$8,800) and 9,000 Yuan
for the four-day voyage, but stayed
in second-class cabins or lower.
Officials and civil servants,
however, were free to choose more
luxurious cabins and pay less, the
report said. A price chart obtained
by the newspaper also showed that
tourists were charged an extra
3,250 Yuan per person than civil
servants in similar cabins. But the
newspaper said the tourists were
not bothered by the unequal
treatment. A Hunan passenger
surnamed Ma said it was worth the
money to experience the “original
beauty” of Sansha. Everyone was
subjected to the same high security
checks during boarding, however.
Passengers went through security
checks twice, taking two hours for
the whole process, the newspaper
said. Plans to allow tourists to visit
the Paracel Islands are the latest
stage in China’s development of
the territory, which has previously
angered Vietnam and caused
concern in Washington. Officials
earlier this month confirmed they
would open up the islands to
tourism.
Source: South China Morning Post, 29
April 2013
ASEAN, Chinese Foreign
Ministers to meet over South
China Sea disputes
Secretary-General of Association of
South East Asian Nations
(ASEAN) Le Luong Minh said on
29 April that foreign ministers of
ASEAN member countries will
have a meeting with their Chinese
counterpart in Beijing to further
discuss peaceful settlement on
territorial disputes in the South
China Sea. "The meeting between
ASEAN foreign affairs ministers
and Chinese foreign affairs minister
has been scheduled in August or
September this year in Beijing,"
Minh told Xinhua on the sidelines
of a media briefing on the results of
the recent high-profile ASEAN
Summit held in Bandar Seri
Begawan, Brunei. He said that
during the summit, all ASEAN
members agreed to assign their
foreign ministries to continue to
work actively with China on the
way forward for early conclusion of
a Code of Conduct in the South
China Sea (COC) on the basis of
consensus. In his briefing, Minh
said that ASEAN leaders
reaffirmed the importance of
peace, stability and maritime
security in the region. They also
underscored the importance of the
Declaration on the Conduct of
Parties in the South China Sea
(DOC), ASEAN's six-point
Principles on the South China Sea
and the Joint Statement of the 10th
anniversary of the DOC. "In this
regard, we reaffirmed the collective
commitments under the DOC to
ensuring the peaceful resolution of
dispute in accordance with
universally recognized principles of
international law, including the
1982 United Nations Convention
on the Law of the Sea without
resorting to the threat or use of
force, while exercising self-restraint
in the conduct of activities," Minh
said in the briefing. He added that
ASEAN is looking forward to
continued engagement with China
in implementing the DOC in a full
and effective manner, including
through mutually agreed joint
cooperative activities and projects.
Source Xinhua, 29 April 2013
South China Sea disputes
dominate first day of ASEAN
summit
Territorial disputes in the South
China Sea dominated the first day
of a meeting of the leaders of the
ASEAN, Philippine President
Benigno Aquino said on 25 April.
"Everybody is interested in having
a peaceful resolution and also
invoicing their concern that there
have been increasing sea disputes,"
he told reporters in a briefing at the
Philippine Embassy in the capital
of Bandar Seri Begawan. Aquino
said Brunei Sultan Hassanal
Bolkiah, chairman of ASEAN this
year, immediately brought out the
topic of the South China Sea and
the need to seek peaceful resolution
of the disputes during the start of
the two-day summit on 24 April.
He added that as far as the
Philippines is concerned; a legally
binding code of conduct among
countries with overlapping
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3

territorial claims in the South China
Sea would greatly ease tensions that
have increased after recurring
confrontations in the area. "There
might be a consensus that we have
to reach that really pushes the
matter forward to really define
everybody’s entitlements and
obligations," he said.
Source: The Nation, 25 April 2013
ASEAN upbeat on progress on
South China Sea
The ASEAN chair and Brunei
leader on 25 April said that
progress has been made during the
ongoing summit of Southeast Asian
leaders to push ahead with talks
with China, bringing renewed
optimism to the South China Sea
issue. Brunei's Sultan Haji Hassanal
Bolkiah told media during the last
day of the 22nd ASEAN Summit
that he was positive of the progress
that has been achieved during talks
between the 10 member states. He
urged communication lines
between the different countries to
be kept open and called for
stronger engagement to find a
mutually acceptable solution
between China and ASEAN
claimants. "I believe that there are
important practical procedures to
achieve. For example if there is a
storm at sea and fishermen shelter
in the disputed waters, such an
event can be misunderstood and
can cause unnecessary tension," he
said. "Therefore it is important to
establish a practical mechanism to
deal with such instances such as
hot lines between the relevant
countries. It is my intention to
continue discussions on such
points," he added. The Chairman's
Statement released at the summit
also detailed expectations for
continued engagement with China
in implementing the Declaration on
the Conduct of Parties in the South
China Sea (DOC) in a "full and
effective manner.""We have tasked
our ministers to continue to work
actively with China on the way
forward for the early conclusion of
a Code of Conduct (COC) in the
South China Sea on the basis of
consensus," it added. Indonesia's
Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa
had earlier noted that there is no
date set to launch formal
negotiations between ASEAN and
China on COC in the disputed
waters. Meanwhile, the ASEAN
Secretary-General Le Luong Minh
said on 25 April the bloc will come
to the negotiating table as a group
in South China Sea talks with
China. "The South China Sea issue
is not just about competing claims;
it's about peace and stability in the
region," Le told Xinhua in an
interview on the sidelines of the
summit. "Of course, it should be
resolved among countries involved,
but it also concerns the interest of
other parties, concerns peace and
stability of the region," he said,
adding, "The South China Sea is an
important sea lane for the region
and the world. Maritime security
should be protected. "ASEAN is
always willing and open to engage
with China on this issue; we've
already done this at the 19th
ASEAN-China Senior Officials'
Consultations. We've also agreed
with the Chinese side to hold a
ministerial level meeting later this
year," said Le at the summit.
Source: Global Times, 25 April 2013
Eight Chinese vessels enter
Senkaku area
Eight Chinese maritime
surveillance vessels entered
Japanese territorial waters on 24
April around the Senkaku Islands
in the East China Sea, the Japan
Coast Guard said. China’s State
Oceanic Administration said the
vessels were there to monitor the
activity of a flotilla of boats
reportedly carrying members of a
Japanese nationalist group. China
regards the area as its territorial
waters. This incident marks the
highest number of Chinese ships
that have entered the Japanese
waters near the Senkakus since the
Japanese central government
purchased three of the Islands
from their Saitama owner last
September, and effectively
nationalized the chain, according to
the 11th Regional Coast Guard
Headquarters in Naha, Okinawa
Prefecture. The Foreign Ministry
said it summoned the Chinese
ambassador and lodged a protest
over the maritime activity. “It is
extremely regrettable and
unacceptable that Chinese state
ships continue to engage in
intrusion,” Chief Cabinet Secretary
Yoshihide Suga told a news
conference. “We are protesting
strictly through our diplomatic
channels.” The intrusion came after
around 10 fishing boats carrying
members of a conservative political
group called Ganbare Nippon left
Ishigaki Island in Okinawa and
headed toward the Senkakus on 22
April night. China’s State Oceanic
Administration said that after three
of its marine surveillance ships —
the Haijian 51, 23 and 46 —
spotted the Japanese boats in the
area of Uotsuri, the largest islet in
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4

the Senkakus, five other ships —
the Haijian 50, 15, 49, 66 and 137
— were ordered to alter course and
converge on the area. Running in
four formations, the eight Chinese
ships monitored the Japanese ships
from different angles, it said in a
statement. Prime Minister Shinzo
Abe vowed to “expel by force” any
Chinese landing on the islets. “We
would take decisive action against
any attempt to enter territorial
waters and to land,” Abe told the
Diet in response to questions from
lawmakers. “We would never
allow” a landing. “It would be
natural for us to expel by force (the
Chinese) if they were to make a
landing,” he said. According to the
11th Regional Coast Guard
Headquarters, Japan’s surveillance
vessels instructed the Chinese ships
to leave after they entered the area
in succession between 7:20 a.m.
and 8:25 a.m. Two Chinese fishery
surveillance vessels were also
spotted sailing in the contiguous
zone outside the territorial waters
around the islets, the coast guard
said. Suga said he was not in a
position to know China’s intent but
added he did not believe the ships’
activity had anything to do with
recent visits to war-linked Yasukuni
Shrine in Tokyo by some Cabinet
members. Bilateral relations have
been frayed over conflicting claims
to the islets as well as visits to
Yasukuni, which honors 2.5 million
Japanese war dead, including 14
Class-A war criminals.
Source: The Japan Times, 24 April
2013
Chinese navy patrols Diaoyu
Islands on treaty anniversary
A Chinese naval fleet patrolled the
waters surrounding the Diaoyu
Islands on 17 April, the anniversary
of the signing of an unequal treaty
between China and Japan in 1895.
Composed of two warships, the
Lanzhou missile destroyer and the
Hengshui missile frigate, the
Chinese People's Liberation Army
Navy fleet crossed the Mayako
Strait on 16 th night and arrived at
the waters surrounding the Diaoyu
Islands early 17 th morning. The
fleet finished a series of attack and
defense drills in the west Pacific
area after it sailed out from port.
Zhao Xiaogang, the commander of
the fleet, which belongs to the
Nanhai Fleet, told a Xinhua
correspondent aboard the Lanzhou
destroyer that the navy's patrol
around the Diaoyu Islands is
legitimate and undisputable, as the
islands are China's indispensable
territory. The PLA navy patrolled
on the day of historical
significance, as the Treaty of
Shimonoseki between the two
countries was signed on April 17,
1895, following China's defeat in
the first Sino-Japanese War (1894 -
1895). According to the treaty,
China ceded Taiwan and its
affiliated islands to Japan, and paid
Japan as a war indemnity the sum
of 200 million Kupingtaels. The
treaty was reversed after Japan's
defeat in World War II. Tensions
were raised between the two
neighboring countries over the
islands after Japan's so-called
"nationalization" of Diaoyu Island
and part of its affiliated islets last
year, as well as Japanese politicians'
aggressive remarks over Japan-
China ties.
Source: Xinhua, 18 April 2013
China accuses Japan of ‘making
trouble’ over Senkaku Islands
China accused Japan on 16 April of
“making trouble” by nationalizing
the Senkaku Islands. “On the issues
concerning China’s territorial
sovereignty and maritime rights and
interests, some neighbouring
countries are taking actions that
complicate or exacerbate the
situation, and Japan is making
trouble over the issue of the
Diaoyu Islands,” the Chinese
government said in a defense white
paper, the first such report issued
in two years. Diaoyu is the Chinese
name for the disputed and
uninhabited islets in the East China
Sea. The Japanese government
responded immediately by
protesting the report through
diplomatic channels, repeating that
there is no territorial dispute
between the two countries because
the islets are Japanese territory.
Bilateral relations have deteriorated
since the central government
purchased some of the islets from a
Saitama businessman last
September. Citing a military-civilian
drill in the East China Sea last
October, the paper says the
People’s Liberation Army Navy has
enhanced capabilities in partnership
with marine surveillance and
fishery administration departments
to coordinate command and
respond to emergencies in joint
military-civilian operations to
safeguard maritime rights. Titled
“The Diversified Employment of
China’s Armed Forces,” the paper
says the Asia-Pacific region has
become an increasingly significant
stage for world economic
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5

development and strategic
interaction between major powers.
Source: The Japan Times, 17 April
2013
China points finger at US over
Asia-Pacific tensions
China's defense ministry made a
thinly veiled attack on the United
States on 16 April for increasing
tensions in the Asia-Pacific by
ramping up its military presence
and alliances in the region, days
after the top U.S. diplomat visited
Beijing. China is uneasy with what
the United States has called the
"rebalancing" of forces as
Washington winds down the war
in Afghanistan and renews its
attention further east. China says
the policy has emboldened Japan,
the Philippines and Vietnam in
long standing territorial disputes
with Beijing. China faces "multiple
and complicated security threats"
despite its growing influence, the
Ministry of Defense said in its
annual white paper, adding that the
US strategy meant "profound
changes" for Asia. "There are some
countries which are strengthening
their Asia Pacific military alliances,
expanding their military presence in
the region and frequently make the
situation there tenser," the ministry
said in the 40-page document, in a
clear reference to the United States.
Such moves "do not accord with
the developments of the times and
are not conducive towards
maintaining regional peace and
stability", ministry spokesman Yang
Yujun told reporters. The official
People's Liberation Army Daily
went further, saying in a
commentary on 15 April that China
needed to beef up its defenses to
deal with a hostile West bent on
undermining it. "Hostile Western
forces have intensified their
strategy to westernize and split
China, and employed every
possible means to contain and
control our country's
development," it said. On 15 April,
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry
defended the re-orientation of U.S.
foreign policy towards Asia as he
ended a trip to the region
dominated by concerns about
North Korea's nuclear program.
While China has been angered by
North Korea's behaviour, including
its third nuclear test in February, it
has also made clear it considers
U.S. displays of force in response
to Pyongyang's behavior to be a
worrisome development.
Source: Reuters, 16 April 2013
Chinese navy continues highsea
training
The "Lanzhou" guided missile
destroyer under the Navy of the
Chinese People's Liberation Army
(PLA) performed a training mission
in the Western Pacific Ocean on 14
April. From their last return to
Sanya after the completion of high
sea training mission on 3 April to
their leaving Sanya for the high sea
training again on 10 April, both the
"Lanzhou" warship and the
"Hengshui" warship had only seven
days to rest and recuperation. The
continuous high sea training
missions are not only a great test
on the reliability of equipment but
also a tempering on the physical
and mental training level for
personnel. Despite time pressure,
everything from logistics supply to
personnel preparation, equipment
support and many others was going
orderly and smoothly. "Such a
short time of rest and recuperation
is not a problem for our logistics
department," said Fan Hai, deputy
captain of the "Lanzhou" warship.
In contrast to the ship service
department, the electromechanical
department seems slightly busier
with managing the main engines of
the ship, the power stations and the
sea water desalination equipment.
During the 7 days, they were busy
with various types of mechanical
maintenance. "After the last highsea
training, the overall
performance of equipment is still
excellent," said Qi Yao,
electromechanical chief of the
"Lanzhou" warship.
Source: China Military Online, 16
April 2013
Japan, Vietnam to hold maritime
security talks in May
Japan and Vietnam have agreed to
hold maritime security talks in May
in Hanoi to accelerate maritime
cooperation amid China’s
increasing assertiveness in the East
China Sea and South China Sea,
government sources said Saturday.
The two nations are expected to
exchange views on Japan’s possible
provision of patrol vessels to
Vietnam during the first-ever
bilateral talks on maritime security,
the sources said. Vietnam has
expressed hope that Japan will
provide patrol boats as part of
Hanoi’s efforts to improve its
maritime security capabilities. The
two sides are expected to confirm
their stand against China’s maritime
assertiveness and the need for
abiding by international law to
ensure maritime security, one of
the sources said. Senior officials
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6

from Japan’s foreign and defense
ministries will take part in the talks,
the sources said. Japan sees
Vietnam “as a strategic partner that
shares common interests,” a senior
Japanese Foreign Ministry official
said. In the talks, Japan is expected
to provide a briefing on China’s
increasing maritime activities
around the Japan-controlled
Senkaku Islands in the East China
Sea, including occasional entries of
official Chinese ships into Japan’s
territorial waters around the islands,
which are claimed by China, the
sources said. Vietnam is expected
to touch on the dispute with China
over sovereignty of the Paracel and
Spratly islands in the South China
Sea.
Source: The Japan Times, 15 April,
2013
Japan, Taiwan agree on fishing
zone near disputed islands
Almost 4 years since their last
fishery talks, Japan and Taiwan
have agreed on principle to allow
fishing trawlers in an area inside
Japan’s exclusive economic zone,
near the highly disputed Senkaku
Islands. They new agreement will
temporarily put on hold
the ownership claims of both
countries over the islands in the
East China Sea, which is also being
claimed by China. Under this new
agreement, both countries will
consent to designate an area in the
EEZ as jointly managed waters
where reciprocal fishing is
authorized. Before this decision,
the two have had two rounds of
preparatory talks held last
November and early March to help
iron out the differences before the
upcoming 17th round of bilateral
talks. The formal talks are now
scheduled for Wednesday at the
earliest, wherein the new deal will
be signed. Both sides agreed to
hasten the process so the policies
can be put into place as soon as
possible. Since fishery talks began
in 1996, Japan and Taiwan have
had 16 rounds of successful
negotiations. Talks stalled after
2009 due to the renewed claims
over ownership of the Senkakus,
called Diaoyutais by the Taiwanese.
China, calling the islands Diaoyu,
also claims the resource-rich but
uninhabited islands as its own,
sorely affecting relations with
Japan. The islands are currently
under the administration of Japan,
which led to the issues with
Taiwanese fishermen, who consider
the area around the islands to be
their fishing grounds, but are
constantly chased away by the
Japanese Coast Guard. This new
agreement with Japan will protect
the livelihood of the said
fishermen, as well as lead to the
strengthening of bilateral relations
between Japan and Taiwan.
Source: The Japan Daily Press, 10
April, 2013
China to boost maritime
training, says PLA Navy's Jiang
Weilie
A top People's Liberation Army
Navy officer says training on the
high seas will become routine for
China's growing fleets but that does
not mean it is changing its defence
policy. Rear Admiral Jiang Weilie,
commander of the South Sea Fleet,
told Xinhua on the amphibious
assault ship Jinggangshan, which
has been taking part in drills in the
western Pacific for two weeks that
training on the high seas was
common among many countries'
navies. "A developing and growing
Chinese navy does not mean
China's near-sea defence policy has
changed," Xinhua quoted Jiang as
saying. "With the help of airborne
early-warning aircraft … we have
explored new ways of training the
navy's aviation force and vessels to
co-operate in combat in faraway
seas, with the use of information
technologies," Jiang said. The 57-
year-old said combat training on
the high seas would become
routine for the Chinese navy in the
future. Meanwhile, Liu Cigui , the
chief of the civilian State Oceanic
Administration told the People's
Daily that China will "maintain
regular patrols in the Yellow Sea,
the East China Sea and the South
China Sea" to safeguard the
country's territorial sovereignty.
"China's maritime law enforcement
used to be loose and inefficient,"
Liu said, praising last month's
restructuring that integrates marine
surveillance, police coastguards,
fishery and the customs antismuggling
unit into one maritime
law enforcement agency. Macaubased
military affairs commentator
Antony Wong Dong said Jiang's
remarks were targeted largely at
neighbouring countries that had
territorial disputes with China, such
as Vietnam and the Philippines.
Wong said the PLA Navy's
successful training posed a real
threat to those countries. "Jiang's
hidden message is that the navy will
fully back up the Chinese
government and show off its real
fighting power in case sovereignty
disputes cannot be settled through
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7

negotiations," Wong said, adding
that Jiang, who has commanded
the South Sea Fleet since
November 2010, was trying to
appear to be friendly by
downplaying the navy's strategic
ambition. The Jinggangshan and
other warships, including a frigate,
a destroyer and a missile frigate,
took part in a live-fire training
exercise in the western Pacific on
14 th April.
Source: South China Morning Post, 2
April, 2013
COMMENTARIES
India’s interest in the South
China Sea: Freedom of
Navigation
- Darshana M. Baruah
The South China Sea (SCS) is major
Sea Line of Communication (SLOC)
and an important trade route. Conflict
in the area concerns all Asian nations
including India. Though India is not a
claimant in the territorial disputes in
the region it holds an interest in the
Freedom of Navigation (FON).
China treats the SCS as its internal
waters which invariable affects India’s
interest. New Delhi has reiterated its
stance on the “Freedom of
Navigation” underlining the necessity
for uninterrupted access to
international waters. India must stand
committed to its rhetoric on the FON
and to defend its interests should the
need arise. This in turn would involve
deepening naval cooperation with the
key countries of the ASEAN and
major powers sharing India’s interest
in defending the principle of FON.
This article looks at India’s primary
interest in the SCS in the context of
growing Chinese assertiveness.
Six nations (China, Vietnam, the
Philippines, Taiwan, Brunei and
Malaysia) have competing territorial
claims over areas in the South
China Sea (SCS ). China lays claim
on almost the entire SCS using a
“U-shaped” or a “nine dotted line”
in its map and regards the waters as
its territorial sea. Recent tensions in
the area have garnered global
attention on the issue and it could
emerge as a military flashpoint.
This in turn has antagonised China,
which has vigorously opposed
internationalisation of the issue.
China has refused any multilateral
approach and has urged extra
regional countries to stay out of its
disputes with the neighbours. India,
though a passive observer to the
incidents so far, has its own stakes
in the region. This article looks at
India’s proclaimed interest in the
‘Freedom of Navigation’ (FON) in
the South China Sea. .
The Sea Lines of Communication
(SLOCs) running through the
South China Sea are of vital
importance to all Asian nations
including India. The Indian Navy
has recognised the protection of
the SLOC as one of its missions in
the military role. The Indian
Maritime Doctrine states that “In
view of the nation’s heavy
dependence on the seas for trade,
protection of own SLOCs is an
important mission of the IN”¹.
Political trouble in the South China
Sea inevitably draws India’s
attention as this affects its interest
in the freedom of navigation.
India has always maintained its
stand on uninterrupted access to
international waters and major
SLOCs. It is in India’s national
interest that the SLOCs in the SCS
remain secure and stable given that
55 per cent of India’s trade transits
through this route. India also has
economic assets in Vietnam for
which access to the SCS is vital.
New Delhi’s growing concern
toward maintaining peace and
stability around SLOCs was voiced
recently at the India-ASEAN
commemorative summit in
December 2012. Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh in his opening
statement at the 2012 Summit
stated that “As maritime nations,
India and ASEAN nations should
intensify their engagement for
maritime security and safety, for
freedom of navigation and for
peaceful settlement of maritime
disputes in accordance with
international law.”
Although the dispute concerns only
6 nations, the fact that the area is in
international waters draws global
attention. Expressing concern,
India’s former External Affairs
Minister, S. M. Krishna stated
India’s position thus: “India
maintains that South China Sea is
the property of the world”.
Krishna’s comment was met with
strong opposition from Beijing. A
commentary published in the Global
Times newspaper opined that calling
the “South China Sea a global
property was a mistake” and that
“other countries cannot describe
one country’s territory as global
property”. Beijing has maintained
that FON is fully guaranteed on the
SCS. However, this is in conflict
with Beijing’s actions and laws
which treat the SCS as its territorial
waters.
Produced and Published by Observer Research Foundation
8

In accordance with international
law, the limit of the territorial sea is
set at 12 nautical miles². China
claims sovereignty over most of the
islands in the SCS as its territory.
As such, its adjacent waters up to
12 nautical miles will be considered
as China’s territorial sea. According
to article 6 of China’s 1992
territorial law: “Foreign ships for
non-military purposes shall enjoy
the right of innocent passage
through the territorial sea of the
People's Republic of China in
accordance with the law” and that
“Foreign ships for military
purposes shall be subject to
approval by the Government of the
People's Republic of China for
entering the territorial sea of the
People's Republic of China.” In
November 2012, it was reported
that China has enabled its police to
board and search ships which
illegally enter what China considers
its territory in the disputed waters.
The move was heavily critised and
caused consternation in the
international community as it
concerned the busy lanes of the
South China Sea. There were two
incidents with Indian vessels in the
South China Sea hinting at Chinese
assertiveness in claiming the SCS as
its internal waters. The first was in
July 2011, when INS Airavat was
contacted on radio saying that it
was “entering Chinese waters”
while sailing on the South China
Sea. Responding to the reports, the
Ministry of External Affairs (India)
released a statement on September
2011 explaining the incident. The
statement read
The Indian Naval vessel,
INS Airavat paid a friendly
visit to Vietnam between 19
to 28 July 2011. On July 22,
INS Airavat sailed from the
Vietnamese port of Nha
Trang towards Hai Phong,
where it was to make a port
call. At a distance of 45
nautical miles from the
Vietnamese coast in the
South China Sea, it was
contacted on open radio
channel by a
caller identifying himself as
the "Chinese Navy” stating
that "you are entering
Chinese waters.
The second incident was in June
2012, when the People’s Liberation
Army Navy (PLAN) provided an
unwelcomed escort to the Indian
naval squadron led by INS Shivalik
in the waters of the South China
Sea. As reported, “Although the
Indian ships were in international
waters, a Chinese frigate sent a
message "welcoming" the
contingent to the South China Sea
and sailed along for the next 12
hours”. Analysing the situation,
strategic expert Dr. C. Raja Mohan
explained: “The message is this:
"nice to see you here, but you are
in our territorial waters and within
them there is no right to 'freedom
of navigation' for military vessels.
You are here at our sufferance."
China’s attempt to levy its national
laws on international waters is
alarming to the international
community. It is essential that all
nations’ observer international laws
and norms for free passage of
vessels in international waters.
India’s Defence Minister A.K
Antony underlined the need to
abide by international laws at the
2012 Shangri-La Dialogue. He
emphasised that “Like individual
freedoms, the fullness of maritime
freedoms can be realised only when
all states, big and small, are willing
to abide by universally agreed laws
and principles”. S.M. Krishna,
India’s then External Affairs
Minister expressed similar views at
the ASEAN Regional Forum
(ARF). Observing the vitality of
SLOCs, the minister stated that
“We have been following
developments in respect to the
South China Sea. As we had stated
earlier, India supports freedom of
navigation and access to resources
in accordance with principles of
international law. These principles
should be respected by all.”
Tensions in the region have
heightened due to assertive and
aggressive claims on the disputed
islands. It is imperative that all
nations follow the norms of
international law to avoid conflict.
India is keen to make its presence
felt in the region and is willing to
cooperate with the Southeast Asian
countries to ensure maritime
freedom.
The Indian Navy plans periodic
deployments in the South China
Sea to mark its presence. It also
engages in exercises with the navies
of the Southeast Asian nations.
India’s cooperation with the
Southeast Asian nations is in
keeping with its Look East Policy.
India and ASEAN in December
2012 commemorated the 20 th
anniversary of the ASEAN-India
Dialogue Relations. The Summit
saw the adoption of the vision
statement, an important
development in the India-ASEAN
relations. The vision statement
marked India and the ASEAN
nations’ commitment to ensure
FON. The statement read “We are
Produced and Published by Observer Research Foundation
9

committed to strengthening
cooperation to ensure maritime
security and freedom of navigation,
and safety of sea lanes of
communication for unfettered
movement of trade in accordance
with international law, including
UNCLOS”.
India’s stance in the South China
Sea is clear: there should be no
obstruction of FON in
international waters. Overriding
international norms in these waters
will further escalate the disputes
adversely affecting the FON. New
Delhi must stand committed to its
rhetoric on the FON and to defend
its interests should the need arise.
This in turn would involve
deepening naval cooperation with
the key countries of the ASEAN
and major powers sharing India’s
interest in defending the principle
of FON.
Endnotes:
¹ Indian Navy, Indian Maritime Doctrine
(Integrated Headquarters, Ministry of
Defence (Navy), 2009.
² See Article 3 of the United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea
(UNCLOS) on the limit of the territorial
sea.
Darshana M. Baruah is an Editorial
Associate, South China Sea Monitor.
REPORT
Interaction with Vice Admiral
Scott H. Swift, Commander, US
7 th Fleet
Vice Admiral Swift is Commander,
US 7 th Fleet. He attended San Diego
State University and received his
commission in 1979 through the
Aviation Reserve Officer Candidate
Program. He received his Masters
degree from Naval War College,
Newport, R.I. His operational
assignments include Attack Squadron
(VA) 94, VA-97, Carrier Air Wing
11 staff, command of Strike Fighter
Attack Squadron 97, commander,
Carrier Air Wing 14, deputy
commander, Naval Forces, US Central
Command, and commander, Carrier
Strike Group 9. During those tours he
participated in combat operations
Praying Mantis, Southern Watch,
Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
His shore tour assignments include
VA-122, Naval War College,
Command of Strike Fighter Weapons
School, Pacific, F/A-18 requirements
officer OPNAV staff, command of
VFA-122, Office of the Under
Secretary of Defense for Acquisition,
Technology and Logistics staff and
Director of Operations, US Pacific
Command.
Vice Admiral Swift has been
recognized as the Commander, Naval
Air Forces, US Pacific Fleet
Landing Signal Officer of the Year,
presented the Commander Michael G.
Hoff Award as the US Pacific Fleet
Attack Aviator of the Year, and is
entitled to wear the Defense Superior
Service Medal, Legion of Merit,
Bronze Star, Meritorious Service
Medal, Air Medal with Combat V,
along with various other personal,
unit and service awards.
The United States is in a unique
situation where it continues to say
it does not take a position in the
territorial disputes in South China
Sea and East China Sea, but it has
treaty obligations with Japan
Thailand and the Philippines and if
these countries were attacked, the
US would be compelled to invoke
the treaty obligations, Vice Admiral
Scott H. Swift, Commander of the
US 7 th Fleet said during a round
table discussion with ORF scholars
on 4 April 2013. Admiral Swift
shared his views on a wide range of
issues from the US refocus, the
emerging regional dynamics,
China’s rise, North Korea, the
South China Sea, the
Senkakus/Diaoyu disputes to the
emerging flashpoints in the region.
He emphasized that the views he
expressed were his own and not
official US, US Department of
Defense, or US Navy positions.
The US “Refocus” towards the
Indo-Pacific Region
Describing the US renewed
engagements with the Indo-Pacific
region, Admiral Swift said the term
“refocus” appropriately captures
the essence of the policy as he sees
this in his engagements throughout
Produced and Published by Observer Research Foundation
10

the Indo-Pacific region. He pointed
out that the original term “pivot”
that came out to describe this
refocus did not resonate well within
the US government as it is easy to
pivot towards something as it is
away from something. He also
noted that the term “rebalance”,
which also came to be used, does
not appropriately describes the
policy as it indicates resource
investment. He noted that the US
refocus was about a commitment
from a policy perspective and a
sense of doing the right thing and
the urgency to be focused. He
stressed the point that there was
need for broad dialogue in the
region so as to determine what
actions should be taken. Admiral
Swift, however, clarified that
“refocus” is not a new term.
Admiral Swift observed that the US
refocus is an acknowledgement of
the fact that the US interests in the
Middle-East had allowed its focus
to be overtly distractive away from
the Indo-Pacific region. Agreeing
that the “Indo-Pacific” region is
the epicentre of the global
economy, he noted that the refocus
is an acknowledgment of the
importance of the region. Admiral
Swift noted that the US refocus is
often seen from a military
perspective. However, he pointed
out, the US 7 th Fleet has been in the
Pacific for seventy years and,
therefore, it is no new to them.
The Admiral said that the
achievements of the US refocus
remains to be seen. He noted that
even as the focus was clearly in the
Indo-Pacific region, the challenge is
to define the right thing to do. He
pointed out that India is working
through this with its Look East
policy. He also stated that there is
talk about a Russian refocus. He
wondered whether the new
Chinese leadership’s visit to Russia
was just a visit or something more
with the centrality to the Indo-
Pacific region.
The Regional Dynamics
Admiral Swift observed that the
probability of conflict in the region
is very low, but the consequences
would be high. He pointed out that
no one in the region seeks conflict,
but there are some dynamics at play
that need to be kept in mind. He
noted that there is predominance
of very weak governments and
governance in the region.
He suggested that one source of
instability in the region comes from
leadership changes. He said that
although the resilience of the
Japanese government has increased
with Prime Minister Abe taking
over that role, there is still much to
be seen. He observed that there is
still some uncertainty about the
new government in South Korea
and there are new governments in
North Korea and China. The
Philippines is going through
elections and it goes around the
region, he said. This vector of
instability is there in the region, he
added.
Another major dynamics is
demographics, Admiral Swift
pointed out. From all perspectives,
demographics play heavily, he
noted. From a global perspective,
he said that India and the United
States are on a firm foundation,
while Japan and China are on the
downside of demographic stability.
He observed that there are
questions about China sustaining
itself because of the one-child
policy of the past. The concern is if
it fails to sustain itself economically
as a country from a demographic
perspective what would this mean
from a policy and a political
perspective, he questioned. He also
wondered if this will accelerate the
desire to establish the Chinese
position on a global stage.
The other vector he identified is
the economic dynamics. There are
many countries that are struggling
with the global downturn, while
there are new players taking
prominent roles that are unique
such as China, he observed. He
suggested that as an emerging
economic power with global
interests, it is normal to expect that
China would look after those global
interests. There is also the
perception of some countries being
more challenged than others such
as Japan and the United States.
Another perception is how long
South Korea would be able to
maintain its continued economic
growth. One of the most important
things the US 7 th Fleet Commander
does is building relationships with
the region to better understand
these dynamics, he said.
Admiral Swift observed that
security for security sake has little
value. The by-product that
countries should be pursuing from
a security perspective is stability
because the outcome of security is
stability, he pointed out. There is
need to use the military resources
in a smart way, or what Joseph Nye
called “smart power” - the
moulding of soft power and hard
Produced and Published by Observer Research Foundation
11

power, Admiral Swift noted. He
said this should be the focus from a
military perspective as the military
itself cannot increase stability
because a combined effort is
needed. He opined that
organisations such as the Western
Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS)
and Association of Southeast Asian
Nations ( ASEAN) have been
making positive impact in the
region in this respect.
He suggested that it is important
for likeminded governments to
embrace the approach to resolving
differences between countries
through adherence to international
norms, standards, rules and laws.
These are mechanisms that are
developed over time and have
served well and rejected the use of
coercion and force in resolving
these differences, he noted.
Emerging Flashpoints in the
Region
He said a trigger could be a
territorial claim or dispute and
there are many of them throughout
the region. This would be
precipitated by the powers with an
interest in a given specific claim, he
opined. He noted that a trigger
could be something along the lines
of what happened between China
and the Philippines with the
Scarborough Reef last year where
unintended consequence of a
police action taken against the
fishermen escalated into as
something big. He also said that it
could be along the context of a
misunderstanding, as in the
Senkakus where the Japanese
government felt that it was taking
proactive measures to deescalate
the situation when the Tokyo
Governor wanted to buy the
Senkakus and the government said
it would buy the islands and not
allow an individual to have sway.
This was seen by the Chinese as a
nationalisation of the disputed
territory, he observed.
He also noted that it would not be
a specific issue that could be
predictive and this, he said, is a
source of concern. Admiral Swift
noted that it is not possible to look
ahead six months and predict high
probability of an incident
happening in a given area. He
suggested that where there is no
unanimity on the utilization of
international norms, standards,
rules and laws, there would be
concerns because there is a higher
potential of friction and conflict
where two concepts clash, one is
national laws and the other is
international laws. This is the
essence of the challenge that the
region faces today, he said.
China: Establishing a New
Equilibrium
Admiral Swift observed that China
is trying to establish a new
equilibrium. He pointed out that
whether China is desirous of the
standards on which the world is
governed today remains to be seen.
Furthermore, he observed that it is
up to the international community
to decide whether an application of
a new rule set is acceptable.
Admiral Swift suggested that a
majority of countries in Asia do not
think that the present international
norms need to be changed, at least
the mechanism by which they
operate. He noted that the
Philippines and the Japanese do not
feel the need. He observed that as
an emerging power with global
interests China has a say on what
the rule set should be. He also
noted that the rule set changes over
time but that changes should be
made from within the existing
system, and this is a challenge that
the world is facing today.
He observed that the world always
seeks a sense of balance and
equilibrium. Even as China’s effort
to find its way up is
understandable, its rise has
disturbed the balance, he noted.
Admiral Swift suggested that China
is also working through what role
would it play and how will it play
that role on the global stage, and by
what rule sets. He observed that
China is trying to establish a new
equilibrium but it is sometimes
against the balance of consensus
from a global perspective. There is
bound to be friction as this
pendulum of equilibrium swings
back and forth, he noted. As it
swings back and forth there is need
to be mindful not to stop that
pendulum in a specific place
because that is done with military
force, he said. He noted that
military power is disruptive by
nature and it should absolutely be
the last resort. He pointed out that
China and the US have much more
in common than competition
though much of the focus is on
those areas where there is
competition.
Admiral Swift suggested that room
would need to be made to
accommodate China and that is a
challenge, he said. He also noted
that the world is going through an
adjustment period and eventually
Produced and Published by Observer Research Foundation
12

there would be an accommodation
made in the context of
international norms, standards,
rules and laws with China.
Admiral Swift rejected the notion
that the world is entering into
another cold war. The Cold War
between the US and the erstwhile
Soviet Union was a result of the
great doubt on both sides about
each other’s strength that led to
great uncertainty around the world
about which was more powerful
and consequently who would side
with who became a matter of
concern globally, he explained.
That is not the case where the
world is today, he said. Because of
its economic weight, China is a
global power from a policy
perspective, but from a military
perspective, it is a regional power,
he observed. Hence, the
perspective of power is different in
the Cold War context, he added.
The Unpredictable North Korea
Admiral Swift observed that North
Korea is the primary concern today
because it is difficult to predict
exactly what the government in
North Korea is striving for. He
noted that Kim Jong-un’s recent
success of getting a satellite in the
space followed by a nuclear test
and now the latest ratcheting up of
tensions are of great concern.
Even as Pyongyang is said to be
seeking a dialogue with the United
States, its method of threatening to
generate a discussion is not
acceptable, he pointed out. Admiral
Swift noted that the United States
takes the threat seriously and it has
been taking measures to reduce the
risk. He said the US is in a dialogue
with other countries in the region
that are equally concerned about
how destabilizing an open conflict
would create and the fact that it
would be the first order
consequences, the second and third
order consequences from an
economic perspective. He observed
that the capabilities that some
attribute to North Korea are
somewhat exaggerated, even
though the risk is a serious one.
The danger is the unpredictability
and without understanding the goal
of North Korea, it is difficult to
develop a policy approach that
would deescalate the situation, he
suggested.
Admiral Swift said that all the
rhetoric coming out of North
Korea may be something that is a
cover for something smaller that
might occur in the background and
needs to pay attention to, he said.
He noted that North Korea would
not utilize international norms,
standards, rules and laws to resolve
disputes, given that it is not even
approachable in a dialogue.
South China Sea and the
Senkakus/Diaoyu Islands
Admiral Swift noted that China
may understand the necessity of
turning to international arbitration
to resolve the territorial issues, if
not value the global norms. With
respect to the Philippines bringing
its claim in Scarborough Reef to
international arbitration, he said,
the Chinese rejection would not
matter as the issue would be
resolved by the international
tribunal with or without China’s
participation. He observed that
China’s position has been clear all
along in rejecting multilateral
resolution, but its bilateral
approach to resolving differences is
problematic, he added.
He observed that taking the issue
to an international court empowers
other countries in the region and
the move itself is a victory, even as
China rejects the outcome. Admiral
Swift made an interesting
observation about what if China
were to win the case in absentia.
This would raise the dilemma
whether it would embrace
international arbitration or not. He
also pointed out that Vietnam may
be interested in pursuing the
Philippines’ way.
On the Senkaku issue, Admiral
Swift noted that Japan is unwilling
to acknowledge that there is a
dispute because from the Japanese
perspective the acknowledgment of
the dispute diminishes the power
of their opposition. He also noted
that China thought that the same
model that proved successful with
Scarborough Reef would gain the
same level of success with the
Senkakus.
Admiral Swift said Taiwan does not
support the Chinese position on
the disputed island. The Taiwanese
position is that the Chinese claim is
not valid and that their claim to the
island is valid, he added. The great
risk is that if there is no arbitration
and dialogue to resolve these
issues, the unfortunate experience
globally is, people turn to force, he
pointed out.
On Japan’s move towards relaxing
some of their laws to govern their
activities of self-defence, Admiral
Swift observed that Tokyo appears
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13

to be heading in that direction.
Even before the Senkakus incident,
there has been an effort made
within the Japanese Diet to relax
some of their laws, he said. He
observed that Japan recognizes that
the world has changed. The move
away from a pacifist approach to
self defence is aimed at allowing
Japan to be a little more proactive
within the region, he noted. Even
as this would raise concerns, only
time would tell its real impact, he
pointed out. He observed that the
US position on Japan’s moves to
relax its laws would be that this is a
decision for the Japanese to make.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
ARTICLES
Florian Dupuy and Pierre-Marie
Dupuy, “A Legal Analysis of
China’s Historic Rights Claim in
the South China Sea”, The American
Journal of International Law, Vol.107,
No.1, (January 2013), pp. 124-141.
Vo Si Tuan, John C. Pernetta, and
Christopher J. Paterson, “Lessons
learned in coastal habitat and landbased
pollution management in the
South China Sea”, Ocean & Coastal
Management, February 2013.
Mohd Aminul Karim, “The South
China Sea Disputes: Is High
Politics Overtaking?” Pacific Focus,
Volume 28, Issue 1, April 2013, pp.
99-119.
Amitai Etzioni, “Accommodating
China”, Survival: Global Politics and
Strategy, Volume 55, Issue 2, 2013,
pp. 45-60.
Ravi A. Balaram, “Case Study: The
Myanmar and Bangladesh Maritime
Boundary Dispute in the Bay of
Bengal and Its Implications for
South China Sea Claims”, Journal of
Current South East Asian Affairs, Vol.
31, No. 3 (2012).
Maximilian Mayer and
JostWubbeke, “Understanding
China’s International Energy
Strategy” The Chinese Journal of
International Politics, 2013.
COMMENTARIES
Li Mingjiang and Zhang
Hongzhou, “Restructuring China’s
Maritime Law Enforcement:
Impact on Regional Security”,
RSIS, 1 April 2013.
Anna Morris, “The US Pivot to
Asia: Will the Senkakus be the first
challenge?”, RSIS, 3 April 2013.
Ristian Atriandi Supriyanto, “The
US rebalancing to Asia: Indonesia’s
Maritime Dilemma”, RSIS, 24 April
2013.
Euan Graham, “Freedom Arrives:
What next for the LCS?”, RSIS, 24
April 2013.
Benjamin Ho, Kaewkamol
Pitakdumrongkit and Sarah Teo,
“ASEAN Unity: From Word to
Deed”, RSIS, 26 April 2013.
Evan Braden Montgomery,
“Returning to the Land or Turning
Toward the Sea? India’s Role in
America’s Pivot”, The Diplomat, 28
April 2013.
Robert Farley, “Is China Carelessly
Overextending Itself?”,The
Diplomat, 1 May 2013.
Harry Kazianis, “Senkaku/Diaoyu
Islands: A “Core Interest” of
China”, The Diplomat, 29 April 2013
Andy Thomchick, “The U.S. and
the Philippines: A Vital
Partnership”, The Diplomat, 23 April
2013.
Robert Farley, “East Asia’s Islands
Challenge”, The Diplomat, 18 April
2013.
Rodolfo C. Severino, “ASEAN’s
chairmanship in 2013 and 2014”,
East Asia Forum, 2 April 2013.
Vignesh Ram, “ASEAN reboots on
South China Sea”, Asia Times
Online, 30 April 2013.
Roberto Tofani, “Ambiguity afloat
in South China Sea”, Asia Times
Online, 24 April 2013.
Roberto Tofani, “Psychological
Warfare in the South China Sea”,
Asia Times Online, 10 April 2013.
PAPERS
China’s Defence White Paper 2012.
Available at
http://eng.mod.gov.cn/TopNews/
2013-04/16/content_4442750.htm
Le Hong Hiep, “South China Sea
Disputes Keep Vietnam-China
Relations Cold”, ISEAS, 15 April
2013.
Ian Storey, “Japan’s Growing
Angst over the South China Sea”,
ISEAS, 8 April 2013.
REPORTS
Yun Sun, “Studying the South
China Sea: The Chinese
Produced and Published by Observer Research Foundation
14

Perspective”, CNAS, 9 January
2012.
Michael Auslin, “Don’t Forget
About The East China Sea” CNAS,
3 May 2012.
Oriana Skylar Mastro, “The Sansha
Garrison: China’s Deliberate
Escalation in the South China Sea”,
CNAS, 5 September 2012.
Dr. Patrick Cronin, “Contested
Waters: Managing Disputes in the
East and South China Sea, CNAS,
14 December 2012.
Zachary M. Hosford and Ely
Ratner, “The Challenge Of Chinese
Revisionism: The Expanding Role
of China’s Non-Military Maritime
Vessels”, CNAS, 1 February 2013.
Will Rogers, “Finding Common
Ground: Energy, Security and
Cooperation in the South China
Sea”, CNAS, 12 February 2013.
Editor: K. Yhome
Editorial Associate: Sadhavi Chauhan
Darshana M. Baruah
Consulting Editor: Iskander Rehman
Produced and Published by Observer Research Foundation
15