China's new plan on maritime cooperation in disputed South China Sea

China is currently entangled in a simmering maritime dispute over the South China Sea with Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan who counter its claim over almost the whole of the waterway

Bs_logoChina constructing USD 18-mn cultural park in Tibet
Press Trust of India Beijing
Last Updated : Apr 28 2016 | 1:03 PM IST
China is working on a new plan for international cooperation in the South China Sea and its neighbouring waters in a bid to shore up ties with a number of southeast Asian countries affected by the maritime dispute.

The plan to cover the next five years will focus on partnerships between China and the ASEAN and in East Asia; Chen Yue, deputy directorr, international cooperation, in China'sState Oceanic Administration (SOA) said on Thursday.

Chen did not go into specifics or say when the plan will be unveiled, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Also Read

China is currently entangled in a simmering maritime dispute over the South China Sea with Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan who counter its claim over almost the whole of the waterway.

The US waded into the dispute backing the smaller countries to assert their rights against China.

The Philippines petition challenging China's claims is being heard by a tribunal established under the UN Convention on Law of the Seas (UNCLOS) which is boycotted by Beijing.

The two projects under the new plan are expected to be jointly established by the SOA and the government of southeast China's coastal Fujian Province as well as the SOA and the government of east China's Shandong Province, respectively.

Under the previous five-year plan covering 2011 to 2015, China signed 19 intergovernmental and 17 inter-institutional documents on marine cooperation with 15 countries around the South China Sea, the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific, according to SOA figures.

China also led, initiated and carried out more than 30 cooperation projects, and offered apparatus for four ocean observation stations for southeast Asian countries including Indonesia and Malaysia, the Xinhua report said.

During the period, the Chinese government offered scholarships to 71 students from 27 developing countries and regions to study for masters or doctoral degrees in related majors in China, Chen said.
Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Access to Exclusive Premium Stories

  • Over 30 subscriber-only stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Apr 28 2016 | 12:47 PM IST