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Yahoo
16-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Beijing, Philippines spar over South China Sea claims during Munich conference
While Russia's war against Ukraine and a wavering transatlantic alliance drew the world's attention at this year's Munich Security Conference, sparks also flew over claims in the South China Sea as debate involving participants representing Beijing and Manila dug into their positions in the region. China's former deputy foreign minister Fu Ying said in a panel discussion, titled "Making Waves: Maritime Tensions in the Indo-Pacific", that Beijing would not accept occupation by the Philippines of new features that the Southeast Asian country has constructed in the South China Sea. Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo was part of the panel. "China cannot agree for the Philippines to occupy Second Thomas Shoal and Sabina Shoal, because that is a violation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," Fu said, referring to a non-binding document signed by Beijing and Asean countries. Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. Fu insisted that the document's language - in particular, a pledge to "not to make more moves" - was watered down at Manila's request to entice the country to sign. The declaration asks signatories to exercise "self-restraint" when conducting activities that would "complicate or escalate disputes", and refrain from building on the sea's uninhabited features. The presence of a dilapidated but still active Philippine Navy ship BRP Sierra Madre at the Second Thomas Shoal (Ayungin Shoal) in the South China Sea has been denounced as unacceptable by Beijing. Photo: AP alt=The presence of a dilapidated but still active Philippine Navy ship BRP Sierra Madre at the Second Thomas Shoal (Ayungin Shoal) in the South China Sea has been denounced as unacceptable by Beijing. Photo: AP> Further actions by Manila, including construction efforts to reinforce the BRP Sierra Madre, a World War II-era tank landing ship deliberately positioned on the Second Thomas Shoal in 1999, have been denounced by Beijing as unacceptable. China's coastguard has regularly used water cannons, blockades, and additional tactics to obstruct Philippine resupply efforts to the rusting warship stationed at the shoal, referred to as Ayungin Shoal in the Philippines. These confrontations have precipitated several clashes between Chinese and Philippine vessels over the past two years, including a notable incident in June that caused injuries to Filipino crew members. Without naming China directly, Manalo said non-compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) is "creating tensions" in the busy maritime corridor that has become a flashpoint for conflict in recent years. The top envoy said his country is following international law, and slammed "countries who reinterpret [Unclos] or apply their own domestic laws to certain areas and try to enforce them". "The best way to reduce tensions in the South China Sea is for countries who have signed on for agreements, such as Unclos, to abide by these agreements. But it is not the case," he said, adding that "rich, powerful" countries are in a position to "assert their own laws against weaker countries, leading to greater contention". The panel discussion, which drew a large audience of European and American think tank experts, as well as diplomatic and military officials, was one of the few events at the annual Munich conference exclusively focused on Asia. Fu Ying, China's former deputy foreign minister, said at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday that China cannot agree for the Philippines to occupy the Second Thomas Shoal. Photo: SCMP / Dickson Lee alt=Fu Ying, China's former deputy foreign minister, said at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday that China cannot agree for the Philippines to occupy the Second Thomas Shoal. Photo: SCMP / Dickson Lee> Recent incidents involving Chinese military assets in the South China Sea have not been limited to the Philippines. Last week, Canberra accused Chinese military aircraft of releasing flares within 30 metres of an Australian aircraft conducting "routine surveillance" of the contested waterway. Referencing that incident, US Senator Christopher Coons, who also took part in the discussion, emphasised the necessity of open lines of communication between Washington and Beijing, especially given the volatile encounters in the region. Open lines of communication reestablished during the administration of former president Joe Biden between the US and China military forces should be "sustained and advanced" to ensure quick communication and avoid misunderstanding, he said. This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright © 2025 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2025. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
South China Morning Post
15-02-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Beijing, Philippines spar over South China Sea claims during Munich conference
While Russia's war against Ukraine and a wavering transatlantic alliance drew the world's attention at this year's Munich Security Conference, sparks also flew over claims in the South China Sea as debate involving participants representing Beijing and Manila dug into their positions in the region. Advertisement China's former deputy foreign minister Fu Ying said in a panel discussion, titled 'Making Waves: Maritime Tensions in the Indo-Pacific', that Beijing would not accept occupation by the Philippines of new features that the Southeast Asian country has constructed in the South China Sea. Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo was part of the panel. 'China cannot agree for the Philippines to occupy Second Thomas Shoal and Sabina Shoal, because that is a violation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea,' Fu said, referring to a non-binding document signed by Beijing and Asean countries. Fu insisted that the document's language – in particular, a pledge to 'not to make more moves' – was watered down at Manila's request to entice the country to sign. The declaration asks signatories to exercise 'self-restraint' when conducting activities that would 'complicate or escalate disputes', and refrain from building on the sea's uninhabited features. The presence of a dilapidated but still active Philippine Navy ship BRP Sierra Madre at the Second Thomas Shoal (Ayungin Shoal) in the South China Sea has been denounced as unacceptable by Beijing. Photo: AP Further actions by Manila, including construction efforts to reinforce the BRP Sierra Madre, a World War II-era tank landing ship deliberately positioned on the Second Thomas Shoal in 1999, have been denounced by Beijing as unacceptable.
South China Morning Post
13-02-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Global cooperation needed to ensure safe development of AI
Some 60 parties have signed a Paris statement pledging commitment to inclusive, open, ethical and safe development of artificial intelligence (AI). Asian nations including China, Japan and South Korea joined European nations led by France. They should be lauded for their responsible approach to handling this fast evolving technology. Advertisement French President Emmanuel Macron, host of this week's Artificial Intelligence Action Summit at the Grand Palais, promoted global rules as the 'foundation, alongside innovation and acceleration, of what will allow AI to arrive and endure'. China has expressed willingness to work with other countries to share achievements and safeguard security in AI development. To ward off the risks from the rapid advancement of AI required Beijing and Washington to cooperate, former foreign vice-minister Fu Ying told a summit panel. 'As long as China and the US can cooperate and work together, they can always find a way to control the machine … If the countries are incompatible with each other … I am afraid that the probability of the machine winning will be high.' Sadly the likelihood of cooperation with the US in the current geopolitically charged environment appears slim. 01:49 US declines to sign international declaration on artificial intelligence US declines to sign international declaration on artificial intelligence The emergence of China's low-cost, open-source DeepSeek large language model has shocked the US, which had been spending vast amounts on AI investment and OpenAI with its pioneering ChatGPT leading the way.
South China Morning Post
11-02-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
China, US should fight rogue AI risks together, but tensions are a challenge: ex-diplomat
A former senior Chinese diplomat has called for China and the US to work together to head off the risks of rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI). Advertisement But the prospect of cooperation was bleak as geopolitical tensions rippled out through the technological landscape, former Chinese foreign vice-minister Fu Ying told a closed-door AI governing panel in Paris on Monday. 'Realistically, many are not optimistic about US-China AI collaboration, and the tech world is increasingly subject to geopolitical distractions,' Fu said. 'As long as China and the US can cooperate and work together, they can always find a way to control the machine. [Nevertheless], if the countries are incompatible with each other ... I am afraid that the probability of the machine winning will be high.' The panel discussion is part of a two-day global AI Action Summit that started in Paris on Monday. Advertisement Other panel members included Yoshua Bengio, the Canadian computer scientist recognised as a pioneer in the field, and Alondra Nelson, a central AI policy adviser to former US president Joe Biden's administration and the United Nations.
South China Morning Post
11-02-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
China, US should fight rogue AI risks together, despite tensions: ex-diplomat
A former senior Chinese diplomat has called for China and the US to work together to head off the risks of rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI). But the prospect of cooperation was bleak as geopolitical tensions rippled out through the technological landscape, former Chinese foreign vice-minister Fu Ying told a closed-door AI governing panel in Paris on Monday. 'Realistically, many are not optimistic about US-China AI collaboration, and the tech world is increasingly subject to geopolitical distractions,' Fu said. 'As long as China and the US can cooperate and work together, they can always find a way to control the machine. [Nevertheless], if the countries are incompatible with each other ... I am afraid that the probability of the machine winning will be high.' The panel discussion is part of a two-day global AI Action Summit that started in Paris on Monday. Other panel members included Yoshua Bengio, the Canadian computer scientist recognised as a pioneer in the field, and Alondra Nelson, a central AI policy adviser to former US president Joe Biden's administration and the United Nations.
