May 22, 2014
— PTI |
Vietnam, Philippines denounce China; Beijing asks nations to solve security problems individually
Grappling with territorial disputes and bracing for US’ big military push into Asia, Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday mooted a code of conduct for Asian countries to resolve security issues among themselves while pledging to step up fight against terrorism.
He also issued a veiled warning to the US and its allies in Asia over forging military alliances to counter China, amid Beijing’s strained ties with countries like Japan, Vietnam and the Philippines. He also pledged “zero tolerance” for terrorism, separatism and extremism in the region as he called on Asian countries to build a new “sustainable” and “durable” security cooperation structure. Security problems in Asia should eventually be solved by Asians themselves, he said, outlining China’s new Asian security paradigm at the fourth summit of Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia here in the east China metropolis.
Asian countries should promote security in their own countries and across the region through dialogue and cooperation, Mr Xi said at the summit attended among others by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Presidents of Pakistan and Sri Lanka Mamnoon Hussain and Mahinda Rajapaksa respectively, besides those of nine other countries, and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
“We cannot just have the security of one or some countries while leaving the rest insecure,” said Xi in a keynote
speech.
“One who tries to blow (out) other’s oil lamp will get his beard on fire,” the President warned, citing a Kazakh proverb.
Without taking names, Mr Xi said: “To beef up an entrenched or military alliance targeted at a third party is not
conducive to maintaining common security.”
“We should strengthen... International and regional cooperation, and step up the fight against the ‘three forces’, in order to bring a life of happiness and tranquility to the people of this region,” said Mr Xi, also head of the ruling
Communist Party of China.
Meanwhile, Vietnam and the Philippines are determined to oppose Chinese infringement of their territorial waters, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said on Wednesday, calling on the world to condemn China’s actions in a rare public show of unity bound to infuriate Beijing. “The President and I shared the deep concerns over the current extremely dangerous situation caused by China’s many actions that violate international law,” Mr Dung said in a statement after talks with Philippine President Benigno Aquino during a two-day visit to Manila. “.
“In particular, China’s illegal placement of the oil rig and deployment of vessels to protect the rig deep into Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone have seriously threatened peace, stability, maritime security and safety, and freedom of navigation in the East Sea.” Anti-Chinese violence flared in Vietnam last week after Chinese state oil company CNOOC deployed an oil rig 240 km off the coast of Vietnam in waters also claimed by Hanoi. The rig was towed there just days after US President Barack Obama left the region.
The move was the latest in a series of confrontations between China and some of its neighbours. Washington has responded with sharpened rhetoric toward Beijing, describing a pattern of “provocative” actions by China.
“The two sides are determined to oppose China’s violations and called on countries and the international community to continue strongly condemning China and demanding China immediately end its violations,” Mr Dung said.
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