Unusual move: China seeks UN support in sea row

BEIJING, China – China sought to drum up support at the United Nations (UN) Monday, June 9, in a territorial row with Vietnam, which the Asian giant accused of damaging peace and stability in the South China Sea.

In a position paper sent to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday, China alleged that Vietnam rammed Chinese vessels more than 1,400 times near oil drilling operations in the South China Sea.

For China to send this position paper to the UN is unusual. China, after all, has consistently frowned upon a multilateral or third-party approach in South China Sea disputes. China has instead stressed the need for bilateral or one-on-one talks with the Southeast Asian countries involved. (READ: China’s strategy vs PH: Trial by publicity)

The paper comes as Hanoi and Beijing remain embroiled in a bitter war of words. The two sides have traded accusations concerning maritime confrontations near an oil rig that China moved into contested waters near the Paracel Islands.

Last week, Vietnam released dramatic footage showing a large Chinese ship chasing and ramming one of its fishing boats, which then sank near the rig.

Wang Min, China’s deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, said in the position paper that Vietnam had “illegally and forcefully disrupted the Chinese operation,” a Xinhua news agency report published Tuesday, June 10, said.

Circulate China’s paper, UN urged

“Such actions also undermined the freedom and safety of navigation in these waters, and damaged peace and stability in the region,” Wang said, according to the report.

Wang also asked Ban to circulate among all UN member states the position paper, which includes an article from the Chinese Foreign Ministry detailing its allegations, the report said.

Tensions over the oil rig sparked violent anti-Chinese riots in Vietnam last month. Beijing says 4 Chinese citizens died in the unrest, while Vietnam says there were 3 Chinese fatalities.

China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, even waters approaching the coasts of its neighbors, and has become increasingly assertive in staking those claims.

Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan have competing claims to parts of the sea.

China on Monday expressed displeasure after Vietnamese and Filipino troops played football and volleyball together on Sunday on a contested island in the Spratlys, with the foreign ministry denouncing the activity as “a farce.” – with a report from Agence France-Presse/Rappler.com