The statement was welcomed by neighbouring countries, which have been locked in an ever escalating conflict with Beijing over its claims to sovereignty over large swathes of the South China Sea. In a sign of a possible major breakthrough in negotiations, China’s premier Li Keqiang claimed progress had been made on reaching an agreement on the South China Sea code of conduct. He had been attending a three day Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Bangkok, that comes to an end on Monday.
Although he gave no hint that China was giving up any of its territorial claims, Mr Li said: “We are willing to work with ASEAN, under the consensus that has been reached, to sustain long term peace and stability in the South China Sea, according to the timetable set for three years.”
The Philippines was quick to welcome the statement, saying that it showed that Beijing was committed to the code, despite its broad claims to the waterway.
Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo told reporters in Bangkok: “It recognises the fact that if it doesn’t agree to a code of conduct then there will be turmoil in the region.”
ASEAN leaders are expected to issue a joint statement at the end of the three day meeting, which will most likely include a section on the South China Sea.
The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations has been trying for years to thrash out an agreement with China over a code of conduct for the sea.
They have repeatedly accused China of using intimidation and aggressive tactics in its attempts to assert its hegemony and enforce its territorial claims.
These tactics have involved deploying warships, arming outposts and ramming fishing vessels, as well as trying to disrupt joint Vietnamese-Russian oil exploration operations.
The People’s Republic says that the entire waterway up to the coasts of the Philippines, Malaysia and Taiwan belongs to it.
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South China Sea fury: US deploys Coast Guard for first time since
This is the first time since the end of the Cold War that the USCG has been deployed in this capacity.
As part of its deployment the USCG will carry out joint exercises with regional partners.
Admiral Karl Leo Schultz, commandant of the USCG, told Asia Times in a recent interview that “there are ongoing discussions, ongoing planning efforts” to support the US Indo-Pacific Command’s operations in the South China Sea.
“We are keenly focused on those likeminded partners, building a regional approach.”
On a visit to Manila in October to oversee the Sama-Sama exercises, the Admiral also reiterated that the USCG’s deployment was to reassure strategic partners in the region and provide greater security.
He said: “In the face of coercive and antagonistic behaviour from China in disputed waters, the US Coast Guard offers transparent engagement and partnership at both the professional and personal levels.”
In a significant shift, the Pentagon has started to treat China’s paramilitary and coast guard vessels as arms of the People’s Liberation Army and Navy.
In effect this means applying military rules of engagement against Chinese coast guard and militia forces.
China is making systematic efforts to assert its hegemony in the region through its powerful China Coast Guard (CCG), a “white hull” fleet deployed reputedly for purely civilian law enforcement purposes.