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China and US need to "cool" SCS together

Editor: Li Kun 丨CCTV.com

07-28-2016 15:28 BJT

By Zhao Minghao, researcher with the Chahar Institute

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met United States Secretary of State John Kerry in Vientiane, capital of Laos, on July 25, to discuss China-US relations.

Kerry said Washington does not take a stance on the arbitration case with the Hague tribunal that was taken up by the Philippines unilaterally over a territorial dispute in the South China Sea. Kerry had reiterated his support for restoring negotiations between Manila and Beijing.

According to Jane’s Defence Weekly, a United Kingdom-based magazine, China has withdrawn the "HQ-9" surface-to-air missile system from Yongxing Island in the South China Sea as a goodwill response to the US army's retrieval of the "Stennis Carrier" from the South China Sea.

Earlier this month, an ad hoc tribunal in The Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines in the South China Sea arbitration case.

In defense of China's strong counterattack, the US Navy had deployed two carrier battle groups to the South China Sea region around Huangyan Island.

The Chinese Navy did not fall back, but instead held a large-scale military live-fire drill near Xisha Islands. The international community feared the arbitration award would escalate regional tensions, potentially igniting a "war."

Nonetheless, such concerns failed to consider the maturity of China-US relations and their strategic resolution to reaffirm bilateral ties.

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with US National Security advisor to the White House, Susan Rice in Beijing on July 25. Xi said Beijing highly-valued its bilateral ties with Washington and would maintain a commitment to management of relations in a healthy and steady manner.

He said the two countries should enhance mutual trust. China's goal of development rests on getting its 1.3 billion population to enjoy better and happier lives. Beijing won't take a hegemonic path or challenge the existing international order.

Xi's attitude demonstrates that China doesn't want to see bilateral ties derailed by the South China Sea issue. Besides, both China's and the US' navies are trying to keep in communication after the announcement of the arbitration award.

The commander of the People's Liberation Army Navy Wu Shengli met with US Naval Operation Chief John Richardson in Beijing to discuss impending military operations. Richardson was also invited to visit Liaoning Ship, China's aircraft carrier training platform.

Accordingly, the two nations have shown restraint, but it doesn't mean the "bomb fuse" has been defused. Washington still hasn't dropped its strategic target of suppressing Beijing's "Sea Power Rise" in the South China Sea and western Pacific region.

The contest between the two countries has gotten more complex. China remains alert over the US allies' "word seeds" upon arbitration results.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's office has lost patience long ago to encourage ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries to sign a joint statement on the South China Sea arbitration and propelling "G7" countries to clamp down on China.

The Australian government has claimed it would deploy warships to the 12 sea mile region around islands in the South China Sea for so-called "free navigation operations" to defend the arbitration ruling.

Even Taiwan has become a card for the US to play. Even though Taipei's Tsai Ing-wen government has denied acceptance of the arbitration award, it wants to build Taiping Island into an "international transport base," which would harm cross-strait relations.

A month later, heads state of China and the US are scheduled to meet at the G20 Summit Meeting in Hangzhou. The two countries may try to limit differences over the South China Sea.

On the one hand, bilateral ties should be an important concern, since two countries' armies should follow the agreements such as The Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES) and the "air and sea meet safety code of conduct" of China and the US, keeping control of front-line troops to avoid strategic misjudgments or accidental discharges.

On the other hand, the two countries should also prevent "third party factors" from stirring up new troubles in efforts to reap unfair gains. China and the US are remitting tensions on the issue of the South China Sea to ensure the success of the upcoming G20 Summit.

 

( The opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Panview or CCTV.com. )

 

 

Panview offers a new window of understanding the world as well as China through the views, opinions, and analysis of experts. We also welcome outside submissions, so feel free to send in your own editorials to "globalopinion@vip.cntv.cn" for consideration.

Panview offers an alternative angle on China and the rest of the world through the analyses and opinions of experts. We also welcome outside submissions, so feel free to send in your own editorials to "globalopinion@vip.cntv.cn" for consideration.

 

 

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