India backs Philippines on South China Sea row

NEW DELHI: India on Wednesday backed the Philippines in its dispute with China over islands in South China Sea, which Manila calls West Philippine Sea, saying it wanted peaceful resolution to the maritime disputes, at the heart of which lies Beijing's expansive maritime claim in the form of the nine-dashed line covering 90% of the sea's waters. 

India's position implies diplomatic support for the Philippines' decision to approach Permanent Court of Arbitration against Beijing's maritime claims in early 2013 and persisting with arbitration even though China boycotted the proceedings of the Arbitral Tribunal for long.

The Tribunal is likely to announce its decision this month and even if China were to ignore any adverse ruling, it will have to contend with a loss of face which, many hope, would force it to go slow on its recent military build up in South China Sea.

  

Foreign minister Sushma Swaraj and her counterpart Albert Del Rosario, secretary of foreign affairs, Wednesday co-chaired India-Philippines third joint commission meeting on bilateral affairs here. The joint statement issued after the meeting referred to South China Sea as West Philippine Sea, a name which Philippine started to use only after escalation of its maritime dispute with China in the region. 

``Rosario briefed Minister Swaraj on the developments in the West Philippine Sea, and the status of the Philippine arbitration case at the Permanent Court of Arbitration, in The Hague, the Netherlands,'' said the statement. 

``Minister Swaraj expressed support for the peaceful resolution of the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea dispute. Both sides reiterated the importance of the settlement of all disputes by peaceful means and of refraining from the threat or use of force, in accordance with universally accepted principles of international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS,'' it said, adding that the two ministers also reiterated the importance of safeguarding the freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea. 

In this regard, it said, they reiterated the importance of an expeditious conclusion on a Code of Conduct and full and effective implementation of the 2002 Declaration of the Code of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea. 

As it seeks to engage more with countries party to the South China Sea disputes, India has not shied away from using its own maritime dispute with Bangladesh, which it successfully resolved through international arbitration, as an example worth following in the region. 

According to the joint statement, the Philippines recognized the steps taken by India to solve its maritime boundary with Bangladesh , through arbitration at the Permanent Court of Arbitration, and its acceptance of the ruling as an example of peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with universally recognized principles of international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS by the International Court. 

Like much of the international community, the Philippines believes that China's activities in South China Sea violate 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). China though believes UNCLOS is not applicable to the South China Sea disputes even though it uses the same to lay claims over Senkaku or Diaoyu islands in East China Sea.