Update! Will U.S. lifting Vietnam arms ban raise South China Sea tensions?

Update! Will U.S. lifting Vietnam arms ban raise South China Sea tensions?

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The U.S. says it’s lifting its ban on sales of fatal arms to Vietnam — a move that’s probably ruffle Beijing’s feathers and lead to an escalation in tensions between China and its neighbors in the South China Sea, according to defense and regional specialists.

Scholars consider Beijing would respond to any scenario that enhanced the ability to resist Chinese ambitions of Vietnam.

“They likely will view this possible move by the U.S. to bolster Vietnam’s maritime domain awareness in the South China Sea as an effort to stand up to China’s more assertive ambitions in the disputed waters,” said Murray Hiebert, a senior advisor and deputy director of the Southeast Asia program for the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington D.C, ahead of President Obama’s visit.

Tensions have ratcheted upward in the area as China has recovered property in substantial dredging businesses, turning sandbars into isles equipped with lighthouses, ports and airfields.

Beijing has additionally warned U.S. warships and military aircraft to stay away from these isles.

  • britbob

    Effective sovereignty Argument Uninhabited Islands: A case that supports this view of effective sovereignty is relevant is the Minquiers and Ecrehos Case, France/UK of 17th November 1953. In this case both the UK and France had requested the ICJ to determine which country held sovereignty over the uninhabited Islets and rocks in the Minquiers and Ecrehos. France had claimed sovereignty because of historic sovereignty going back to the Dutchy of Normandy in the 11th century while the UK claimed that Jersey had historically exercised administrational jurisdiction on them. The Court decided that in the absence of valid treaty provisions, they considered the argument that the British government has exercised effective control to be superior, so that sovereignty control over the Minquiers and Ecrehos belonged to the UK. (the UK had protested to the French government when a French national had intended to build a house on one of the islats and any deaths occurring on the islets were dealt with by inquests held on Jersey). ICJ Minquiers & Ecrehos Judgment, 17 Nov 1953, p28, paras 6 & 12.

    No delimitation between states with opposite or adjacent coasts may be affected unilaterally by one of those states. For some interesting judgments on territorial seas and to gain an understanding as to how the world court deals with such disputes:

    https://www.academia.edu/10574593/Falklands_Islands_Territorial_Waters