JOIN USIndia and Japan on Thursday asked China to go in for a peaceful settlement of the South China Sea dispute, without using force or blocking free passage of ships and aircraft.
The defence ministers of India and Japan “expressed concern” on the security and stability of the South China Sea, through which a bulk of the region’s trade and oil flow.
A joint statement issued after a meeting between Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and his Japanese counterpart Gen Nakatani said: “They reaffirmed the importance of respecting international law, as reflected notably in the United Nations Convention on the Laws of the Seas (Unclos), of the peaceful settlement of the disputes without any threat or use of force, and of ensuring freedom and safety of navigation and over-flight as well as unimpeded lawful commerce in international waters.”
Gen Nakatani, who was scheduled to spend three days in India, cut short his visit in the wake of the contentious award by an international tribunal. The Japanese defence minister took off for Tokyo within 24 hours of landing in New Delhi after meeting Parrikar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The South China Sea is at the centre of an escalating conflict between China and its neighbours like Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines and Taiwan.
With the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) verdict going against China, there are apprehensions in several quarters of Beijing undertaking some unilateral action, without considering the interests of other nations, whose economy is linked to the movements through the South China Sea and overhead flights.
Settle disagreement
New Delhi and Tokyo reminded Beijing on the importance of settling the disagreement peacefully while allowing navigation and over-flights.
“The ministers recognised that the security and stability of the seas connecting the Indian and Pacific Oceans are indispensable for the peace and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region. They expressed concern over recent developments in this regard,” the joint statement added.
Indian and Japan urged the two contesting parties–China and Philippines–to show utmost respect for Unclos, though China asserted that it did not recognise the PCA ruling.
Unclos is a legal framework that guides every country’s behaviour in international waters.
The state-backed Chinese media on Thursday asked the military to be ready for a “counter-attack” if US warships hold exercises near islands claimed by Beijing in the South China Sea to enforce the UN-backed tribunal’s verdict.
Asked whether India is with or against China on the PCA verdict, Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs Vikas Swarup said: “This is not an issue of being in favour or against any particular country. It is about the use of the global commons. It is not a matter of politics, it is a matter of law.”