Asian-Pacific Territorial Disputes Escalate

Asian-Pacific Territorial Disputes Escalate
China Times editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
August 8, 2012

Summary: Long-standing sovereignty disputes continue to bedevil the Asian-Pacific region. Several nations are at loggerheads over the four Northern Islands, Dokdo/Takeshima, Diaoyutai, and the Nansha Islands. In recent years these disputes have further intensified. They have even led to direct clashes. They threaten peace in the Asian-Pacific region. The Republic of China asserts sovereignty and jurisdiction over the Diaoyu Islands and Nansha Islands. Needless to say, it cannot remain aloof. It must be deeply concerned about the situation.

Full Text below:

Long-standing sovereignty disputes continue to bedevil the Asian-Pacific region. Several nations are at loggerheads over the four Northern Islands, Dokdo/Takeshima, Diaoyutai, and the Nansha Islands. In recent years these disputes have further intensified. They have even led to direct clashes. They threaten peace in the Asian-Pacific region. The Republic of China asserts sovereignty and jurisdiction over the Diaoyu Islands and Nansha Islands. Needless to say, it cannot remain aloof. It must be deeply concerned about the situation.

Basically these sovereignty disputes are intensifying. A major cause is the rapid growth of Mainland China's military might. It is projecting its power into to the Pacific. It is attempting to breakthrough the Japanese-US island chain currently containing Mainland China. It is colliding with the powers currently occupying the region. The flashpoint will be disputes concerning territory or territorial waters. The United States is responding. It has begun its return to the Asian-Pacific region. This has emboldened other nations. This has encouraged them to thumb their noses at Mainland China. The US, they now assume, now has their back. A few days ago the U.S. State Department harshly criticized Mainland China for establishing Sansha City, a municipality to preside over three South China Sea islands. This provoked a vehement response from Mainland China. Mainland China and the US were clearly exchanging blows.

Meanwhile the global recession has discredited the governments of many nations. The influence of right-wing populist elements has been enhanced. Sovereignty disputes are often tools for domestic political struggles. They often force governments to draw lines in the sand. They often enable ultranationalist organizations to hijack their governments. They sometimes lead to foreign military quagmires.

In fact, most international disputes over sovereignty cannot be resolved through negotiations. If one cannot use force, then all one can do is protest. As a result, the sovereignty remains in dispute. This has long been the case for the Diaoyutai Islands dispute and South China Sea dispute. In recent years confrontations have intensified. Military intervention has become more frequent. For example, PRC fleets and Mainland Chinese fishing boats have repeatedly entered Diaoyutai Island waters. ROC Coast Guard ships have escorted Diaoyutai Islands Defense Movement activists to the Diaoyutai Islands to proclaim sovereignty. Warships belonging to Mainland China and the Philippines have clashed in the Huangyan Islands.

All nations claim they want dialogue and the peaceful resolution of disputes. The international community agrees. In fact this is hypocritical lip service. Few people ever want dialogue during territorial sovereignty disputes. The reason is simple. Possession is nine-tenths of the law. Nations in actual possession of the disputed territories do not want to talk to others. Doing so merely undermines their ownership claims. Other nations gain nothing from talks. For them, there is nothing to talk about. The recent ASEAN meeting originally wanted the South China Sea Code of Conduct included in the joint declaration, But they were unable to reach an agreement, so they gave up on the idea. As one can see, sovereignty disputes are not easy resolved by diplomatic means. Therefore they will only drag on.

President Ma Ying-jeou recently attended the 60th anniversary of the Sino-Japanese Peace Treaty. He reiterated the Republic of China's sovereignty over the islands. He also offered a five-point peace initiative for the East China Sea. One. Self-restraint. Do not escalate the antagonisms. Two. Shelve disputes. Do not give up on dialogue and communications. Three. Comply with international law. Settle disputes through peaceful means. Four. Seek consensus. Establish an East China Sea Code of Conduct. Five. Establish a mechanism for the development of East China Sea resources.

Ma Ying-jeou is an expert on international and maritime law. In particular, he has conducted in-depth research on the Diaoyutai Islands sovereignty dispute. According to reports, the proposed peace initiative for the East China Sea was drawn up by the ROC National Security Council. The ROC Ministry of Foreign Affairs notified Japan and other nations through unofficial channels. But so far none of the the parties have responded. This is not surprising. Other nations have no intention of engaging in more active diplomatic consultations. Moreover, Beijing does not want the ROC to take part in this territorial dispute in the name of a sovereign state. Japan is worried that Taipei and Beijing will join hands to defend the nation's territory against annexation by Japan. As for the cooperative development of resources, that is hardly a pressing issue. At this time any concrete move to develop regional resources would be regarded as serious provocation.

The ROC government has issued a five-point proposal for the Diaoyutai Islands. Diplomatically, this keeps our hand in the game. This reaffirms our sovereignty. This is a necessary political gesture. Otherwise, if we stand by without saying anything, our role in the controversy will gradually shrink.

The most concrete and specific of these five points is "Self-restraint. Do not escalate the antagonism." This clearly refers to Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara, with their declared intention of "purchasing" the three Diaoyutai Islands. The two men are engaged in domestic political struggle. They are ignoring the diplomatic consequences of raising tensions with Mainland China. Diaoyutai for them may be a tool for domesic political struggle. But it is one that could lead to Sino-Japanese conflict. It is sure to impact the strategic picture and economic development in the Asian-Pacific region. It is not something anyone would be happy to see. It is not even something that the US, which longs to "contain" Mainland China, would be happy to see.

Territorial disputes may be intractable. But national policy must not allow disputes to undermine the national interest. This includes the Diaoyutai Islands sovereignty dispute in the Asian-Pacific region. Problems should be resolved peacefully and pragmatically. President Ma's clarion call merits the nation's attention.

對立尖銳化 亞太版圖之爭日趨緊繃
    2012-08-08 01:17
    中國時報

　亞太地區沿著太平洋岸，從北方四島、獨島/竹島、釣魚台到南沙群島，都長期存在著主權爭議，相關各國也經常針鋒相對。但近幾年來，這些爭執漸趨尖銳，甚至出現對峙行動，已經為亞太和平投下變數。主張擁有釣魚台和南沙群島主權且實際統轄太平島的台灣，當然不能置身事外，必須慎重關切局勢發展。

　就基本格局而言，這些主權之爭之所以日益升高，一大原因是中國勢力迅速增長，軍事力量開始往太平洋投射，力圖突破昔日美國圍堵中國的島鏈時，開始與原有勢力發生撞擊，直接的引爆點便在領土或領海問題上。而美國面對此一局勢，也開始「重返亞太」，使得相關國家在對中國嗆聲時，背後有更多依恃。日前美國國務院對中國設三沙市發出嚴厲批判，引發中共強力批駁，明顯地，中美過招意味濃厚。

　此外，在另一方面，國際經濟衰退導致許多國家政府人氣低落，右派民粹勢力影響力增強，主權之爭常成為內部政治鬥爭工具，甚至逼得政府必須跟進表態，甚至被民族主權激進團體拖著跑，有時也導致對外衝突難以下台。

　事實上，國際間的主權爭議所在多有，能夠經由談判解決的並不多，一般來說，如果不能動武，那麼就只能三不五時動動口，讓主權歸屬保持在爭議狀態。釣魚台與南海爭議多年來均是如此，但最近幾年的對立愈來愈尖銳，軍事介入也更為頻繁。例如中國大陸的艦隊及漁政船多次進入釣魚台海域、台灣海巡艦護送保釣船去釣魚台宣示主權、中國和菲律賓的艦艇與船隻在黃岩島對峙等等。

　雖然相關各國都聲稱希望對話和平解決糾紛，而國際社會也如此呼籲，但事實上，這些都只是虛偽的場面話，領土主權之爭很少有人真心想對話。原因很簡單：占者最大。實際占有的國家根本不想和別人談，否則就是把自己的擁有權打了折扣，其他國家既撈不著好處，那又何必多此一談？不久前的東協會議原本想把南海行為準則納入共同宣言，最後喬不攏而作罷，可見主權之爭不容易靠外交手段解決，只能繼續拖下去。

　馬英九總統在出席《中日和約》生效六十周年紀念活動時，除了重申中華民國擁有釣魚台主權外，也主動提出五點「東海和平倡議」：第一、自我克制，不升高對立行動；第二、擱置爭議，不放棄對話溝通；第三、遵守國際法，以和平方式處理爭端；第四、尋求共識，研訂「東海行為準則」；第五、建立機制，合作開發東海資源。

　馬英九本人其實是國際海洋法專家，對釣魚台的主權爭議尤其有深入研究。據報導，這次提出的「東海和平倡議」是由國安會主導規畫，外交部事前曾透過管道告知日本等國，但各方迄今未作回應。這並不讓人意外，因為其他國家目前無意於更積極的外交磋商。何況，中國大陸不希望台灣以主權國家地位參與這樁領土之爭，而日本則十分介意兩岸是否聯手護土抗日。至於合作開發資源，更不是迫切議題，此時任何具體的開發動作，反而會被視為更嚴重的挑釁。

　我國針對釣魚台問題提出五點倡議，在外交層次上，是一種保持話語權、重申主權地位的政治動作，而這是維護主權所必須做的。否則老是站在旁邊一語不發，參與爭議的地位會漸形薄弱。

　這五點裡最具體、也最有針對性的，是第一點「自我克制，不升高對立行動」。很明顯的，這是指近來相關國家的動作。尤其日本首相野田佳彥與東京都知事石原慎太郎爭相搶購釣魚台三小島，在內部政治角力下，不顧外交後果激化與中國的緊張。釣魚台如果成為內鬥工具，甚至引發日中衝突，勢必衝擊亞太整體局勢與經濟發展，並非任何國家之福，即使是想壓抑中國勢力的美國，也不樂見。

　領土之爭固然難解，但政策至少不能讓局勢朝損及國家利益的方向走；而包括釣魚台在內的亞太主權之爭，也應該在維護整體和平發展的前提下務實處理。馬總統提出的呼籲，值得相關國家思考。