Australian Deputy PM calls actions by Chinese vessels in West Philippine Sea 'serious escalation of tensions'

Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has called actions by Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea like the use of water cannons and the ramming of Philippine vessels a 'serious escalation of tensions' and stressed that the move is inconsistent with United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the final and binding 2016 South China Sea arbitration ruling.

Speaking at Plenary Session 3: Building Cooperative Security in the Asia-Pacific at the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Saturday, Richard Marles stated that China's behaviour towards Taiwan sparks similar concerns. He called on China to make it clear in word and deed that it does not support the invasion of the sovereign state.

In his speech, Marles said, 'China making clear in word and deed that it does not support the invasion of a sovereign country in violation of the UN Charter, consistent with China’s own longstanding commitment to the Charter’s founding principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, would be a huge vote of confidence in Chinese regional and global leadership. The importance of this cannot be overstated.'

'Confidence and indeed trust in Chinese intent will be the single most important ingredient to the maintenance of the global rules-based order. And by extension it will be at the heart of building a stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. A stable and sustainable regional order won’t be possible unless all countries but especially big ones pursue their strategic objectives in a manner that respects the sovereign rights of our neighbours and the obligations imposed by international law. That’s why we must pay attention to China’s strategic behaviour and the signals it sends,' he added.

Speaking about China’s behaviour in the West Philippine Sea and around Taiwan, Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles said, 'Actions by Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea, such as the use of water cannons and the ramming of Philippine vessels are a serious escalation of tensions and inconsistent with UNCLOS and the final and binding 2016 South China Sea arbitration ruling.'

“China’s behaviour towards Taiwan creates similar concerns. PLA exercises that practice attacks and blockades of Taiwan do not inspire confidence that China prioritises – or is planning for – a peaceful settlement to the status of this island and its 22 million people. That the PLA has made a record number of incursions across the median line in the Taiwan Strait this year is part of this increasingly concerning trend,” he added.

In his speech, Marles noted that the Australian Navy has also experienced “unsafe and unprofessional behaviour” by the People’s Liberation Army Navy and People’s Liberation Army Air Force.

He said, 'The Australian Navy has also experienced recent unsafe and unprofessional behaviour by the PLA Navy and the PLA Air Force. I want to stress that the great bulk of the PLA’s interaction with the ADF are safe and professional.'

'But the size and speed of PLA development means that interaction is occurring much more frequently. And activities that the ADF has conducted in the region for decades, safely and consistent with international law, are increasingly contested by the PLA,' he added.

Speaking about China's behaviour in the East China Sea, he said, 'The activation of sonar while Australian naval divers were in the water in the East China Sea in November and the release of flares in the path of a naval helicopter last month posed a serious risk of injury to our personnel, while they were enforcing UN Security Council sanctions against North Korea.'

The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue, attended by over 550 delegates from defence and security establishments worldwide, serves as a platform for global leaders to engage in discussions on pressing security issues and collaborative initiatives to promote regional stability.