Vietanm's Growing Assertiveness in the South China Sea

Vietnam's stance is getting tougher in South China Sea.

JAKARTA, INDONESIA, August 13, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ -- Vietnam Intensifies Land Reclamation in the South China Sea
Historically, the South China Sea (SCS) has been an area of contention between rival claimants in the region. Since at least the 15th century, when Vietnam first started building a presence on the renowned Paracel islands, Vietnam has had a presence in the SCS. In the 1980s, in the aftermath of the Vietnam War, Vietnam began to seriously reinforce its presence in the area, re-establishing its control over the Paracel Islands and also reclaiming land from the Spratly Islands. Since that time, Vietnam has been engaged in a variety of reclamation efforts in the area, constructing new islands and facilities in order to further its nation’s interests. Vietnam's ten main islets have quietly added buildings since 2017. CSIS also tracked new communications equipment, a sports field and the extension of a runway from 750 meters to 1,300 meters on its largest holding Spratly Island. Vietnam has dramatically increased its dredging and landfill operations at many of its South China Sea outposts in 2022, according to US thinktanks, signaling an intent to substantially bolster its claims in the disputed waterway. With its operation in the Spratly Islands, which are also claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam has now reclaimed 220 hectares of land in the previous ten years, an area of about 170 hectares (420 acres). According to official documents leaked to The Manila Times, Vietnam has hired a private business to construct an artificial island in the West Philippine Sea as part of its military activities. Sources showing that the artificial island created by the Vietnamese government is vast. In Hizon Reef, the project will cover 19.5 km², in Pigeon Reef 23.4 km² and in Maskardo Reef 181 km².

Vietnam Has Benefited the Most from Agreement on EEZ Boundaries with Indonesia
Vietnam also benefits from its relationship with Indonesia. On December 22, 2022, Hanoi and Jakarta reached a pact on the demarcation of economic zones after 12 years of negotiations, although no specifics have been made public to date. Insiders emphasized that in order to reach the agreement, Indonesia had to make significant concessions to Vietnam. The agreement has been beneficial for both countries, but Vietnam has gained the most from it. This is due to the fact that Indonesia is one of the few SCS nations which acknowledges Vietnam’s claim to the Spratly islands, and by signing the agreement, Indonesia is effectively recognizing Vietnam’s control of the islands. This, in turn, gives Vietnam a further boost when it comes to its claim to the SCS. This agreement has resulted in increased economic and strategic opportunities for Vietnam, as well as increased security in the disputed areas of the South China Sea.

Furthermore, despite the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) between Indonesia and Vietnam being finalized in December, observers claim that Vietnamese fishing boat poaching is still rampant in some of Indonesia's most productive waters. Government officials claim that illegal fishing will continue to be Jakarta's top maritime threat in 2023. The Indonesia Ocean Justice Initiative (IOJI), a Jakarta-based think tank, has been monitoring the movements of Vietnamese fishing boats and Hanoi's state-owned vessels in the North Natuna Sea since January. It reported that this year's movement patterns showed little to no differences compared with the pre-EEZ period.

Vietnam's Activity in WPS Should Be Closely Monitored
The recent aggressive actions taken by Vietnam in the SCS should not be taken lightly, as it stands in stark contrast to the generally peaceful approach taken by many of the other nations involved in the region. Vietnam’s militancy has caused significant tensions, and it is clear that the other ASEAN countries need to take notice and be aware of Vietnam’s behavior if they want to maintain peace in the region.

The Local organization Makabansa deserves praise as well, for holding a picket rally in front of the Vietnam Embassy and condemning Vietnam’s alleged militarization of the West Philippine Sea (WPS). Their actions have raised awareness of Vietnam’s actions, and are a reminder that we must remain vigilant and continue to stand up for our rights and the rights of others.

Lori Dowling
Marine Conservation Philippines
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