Republic did not raise dispute or arbitral tribunal ruling at NAM summit: Ambassador
By Chong Koh Ping, China Correspondent, In Beijing, The Straits Times, 27 Sep 2016
Singapore did not raise the South China Sea territorial dispute or a July arbitral tribunal ruling on the dispute at a recent multilateral summit in Venezuela, the Republic's Ambassador to China Stanley Loh said yesterday, in a letter refuting allegations made in a Chinese newspaper last week.
The actions and words attributed to Singapore are "false and unfounded", Mr Loh said in the letter about an article dated Sept 21 in the Chinese edition of the Global Times on the 17th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit.
The NAM was formed in 1961 by a grouping of newly-independent countries that did not want to take sides in the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. It meets once every three years.
In its report, the Global Times said that at the meeting held on Venezuela's Margarita Island, Singapore insisted on adding contents that endorsed the Philippines' South China Sea arbitration case against China in a document that will guide the development of the grouping for the next three years.
Singapore had attempted to strengthen the contents on the South China Sea, said the newspaper which is linked to the Chinese Communist Party.
Quoting unnamed sources, it said "the Singapore representative was flustered and exasperated, and made sarcastic remarks" on the stance of countries that opposed strengthening the contents on the South China Sea.
"The representative even used offensive words during the argument, and launched malicious attacks on the representatives of countries taking a fair position," the newspaper added.
Mr Loh, who described the report as "irresponsible" and "replete with fabrications and unfounded allegations with no regard for the facts", said Singapore is disappointed that such a report has been published.
He wrote to the Global Times yesterday to publish Singapore's rebuttal to its article but The Straits Times understands that it has not been published.
In his letter, the Singapore envoy said the proposal to update the South-east Asia paragraphs in the document was not done at the last minute nor by any single ASEAN country. Laos - as the current ASEAN chair - had conveyed the group's common position through a formal letter to Iran, the former NAM chairman, in July.
Yet, Venezuela, the current NAM chairman, had refused ASEAN's request to update the paragraphs related to the region.
This is a departure from the established practice in the NAM, which had always allowed for such regular updates without interference from NAM countries that did not belong to the region or external parties, Mr Loh said.
"The paragraphs on South-east Asia, including those referring to the South China Sea, have been part of the... document since 1992, and regularly updated based on the common position of the ASEAN countries," he added.
Contrary to what the Global Times had described, Singapore had adopted a "principled position" throughout and defended NAM principles and established practices, Mr Loh added.
During the meeting, Laos had protested on behalf of all 10 ASEAN countries to Venezuela "on its improper decision to reject ASEAN's updates".
It had also intervened in writing to the Venezuelan Foreign Minister after the meeting.
In that letter, Lao delegation leader Kham-Inh Khitchadeth expressed "deep regret" that the final document did not reflect current developments in the region with regard to the South China Sea.
"The question of South China Sea is a matter of vital interest for peace, stability, security and cooperation in South-east Asia," he added, and asked to put on record ASEAN's collective reservation that the relevant paragraph was not updated.
Excerpt of Lao delegation leader's letter to Venezuela's foreign minister
The Straits Times, 27 Sep 2016
Excerpt from a letter by Mr Kham-Inh Khitchadeth, the ministerial leader of the Lao delegation, to Venezuela's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Delcy Rodriguez Gomez, regarding ASEAN's unhappiness that the Non-Aligned Movement's (NAM) Final Outcome Document did not reflect current developments in the region with regard to the South China Sea. Mr Kham-Inh said ASEAN wanted to put its reservations on record and to incorporate these as an annex to the NAM document:
"The heads of state or government reiterated the call to solve all sovereignty and territorial disputes in the South China Sea by peaceful means, without resorting to force and/or the threat to use force, in accordance with the universally recognised principles of international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Charter of the United Nations.
In this context, they urged all parties to ensure the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) in its entirety to build, maintain and enhance mutual trust and confidence, to exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities, and to work expeditiously for the early adoption of an effective Code of Conduct, which would help to promote international peace and stability in the region, with a view to creating a positive climate for the eventual resolution of all contentious issues, as mentioned in paragraph 2 of the Joint Communique of the 49th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Vientiane, Laos, dated July 24, 2016.
They expressed their hope that all parties concerned would refrain from any actions that may undermine peace, stability, trust and confidence in the region. The heads of state or government shared serious concerns over recent and ongoing developments in the South China Sea and took note of the concerns expressed by some ministers/leaders on the land reclamations and escalation of activities in the area, including the increased presence of military assets and the possibility of further militarisation of outposts in the South China Sea, which have eroded trust and confidence, increased tensions and may undermine peace, security and stability in the region.
They emphasised the importance of non-militarisation and self-restraint in the conduct of all activities, including land reclamation, that could further complicate the situation and escalate tensions in the South China Sea.
They reaffirmed the importance of, and their shared commitment to, maintaining peace, security, stability, the freedom of navigation in and over-flight above the South China Sea, as provided for by the universally recognised principles of international law.
To this end, they welcomed the adoption of the Guidelines for the Implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea in July 2011 in Bali and the Joint Statement of the 15th ASEAN-China Summit on the 10th Anniversary of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea in November 2012 in Phnom Penh.
The heads of state or government also welcomed the Joint Statement by the Foreign Ministers of ASEAN Member States and China on the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea on July 25, 2016, in Vientiane. They further welcomed the positive contribution of the consultations at ASEAN-China dialogues, and the regular exchange of views at relevant ASEAN-led fora, and encouraged their continuance.
The heads of state or government welcomed the progress made on some of the Early Harvest Measures, which includes adopting a 24-hour MFA-to-MFA hotline for maritime emergencies. They noted the ASEAN-China 25th Anniversary Commemorative Summit on Sept 7, 2016, in Vientiane, the 17th Joint Working Group on the implementation of the DOC on June 8, 2016, and the 12th Senior Official's Meeting on the implementation of the DOC on June 9, 2016, in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam."
Singapore 'did not raise tribunal ruling'
The Straits Times, 27 Sep 2016
Singapore's Ambassador to China, Mr Stanley Loh, has written to Global Times editor-in-chief Hu Xijin in response to a Global Times article in Chinese dated Sept 21. We reproduce Mr Loh's letter and a translation of the Global Times article below.
Actions and words attributed to Singapore 'false and unfounded'
MR HU XIJIN
Editor-In-Chief
Global Times
Dear Editor-in-Chief Hu,
The Global Times (Chinese) article dated Sept 21, 2016, regarding the 17th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit attributed actions and words to Singapore which are false and unfounded.
Firstly, the proposal to update the South-east Asia paragraphs in the NAM Final Document was not done at the last minute nor by any single ASEAN country. There was a common and united ASEAN position. It was a consensus position of all 10 ASEAN members, based on agreed language from the Joint Communique of the 49th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting.
As the current ASEAN chair, Laos conveyed the group's common position through a formal letter to the former NAM chair, Iran, in July. Subsequently, Iran circulated ASEAN's updates to all NAM members on July 29.
Secondly, the NAM chair refused ASEAN's request to abide by the established practice in NAM for regional groupings to update the paragraphs of their respective regions in the NAM Final Document, without interference from non-regional NAM countries or external parties. If this important principle is not respected, any non-regional NAM member or external element could in future impose their views on any regional issue. This is not in the interests of the NAM and its members. The paragraphs on South-east Asia, including those referring to the South China Sea, have been part of the NAM Final Document since 1992, and are regularly updated based on the common position of the ASEAN countries.
Thirdly, contrary to the claim fabricated by Global Times, the Singapore delegation did not raise the South China Sea or the tribunal ruling at the NAM Summit. Singapore adopted a principled position throughout and intervened to support the common position of ASEAN and defend NAM principles and established practices. Singapore believes that it is detrimental to the unity, impartiality and future of the NAM to allow NAM principles to be undermined.
The following additional facts clearly refute the allegations in the article:
- Only a very small number of NAM members outside South-east Asia raised objections to ASEAN's updates at the NAM Senior Officials' Meeting at Margarita Island. However, substantive discussions were regrettably blocked.
- As chairman of ASEAN, Laos protested on behalf of all 10 ASEAN countries to the NAM chair on its improper decision to reject ASEAN's updates. Several other countries also objected to the breach of this well-established NAM principle.
- At the end of the 17th NAM Summit, Laos, as chair of ASEAN, wrote to the Venezuelan Foreign Minister to put on record ASEAN's collective reservation to a paragraph in the South-east Asia section of the NAM Final Document that was not updated. The ASEAN chair further requested that ASEAN's proposed language be annexed to the NAM Final Document. A copy of the letter from Laos as chair of Asean is attached.
We are disappointed that an established newspaper published this irresponsible report replete with fabrications and unfounded allegations with no regard for the facts. I request that, in the interest of professionalism, objectivity and transparency, Global Times publishes this letter in full in Chinese and English, so that your readers may be accurately informed, and the close friendship between our two countries will not be inadvertently affected.
STANLEY LOH
Singapore's Ambassador to the People's Republic of China
Global Times: Singapore raises South China Sea arbitration at NAM summit of heads of state despite opposition
Published The Straits Times, 27 Sep 2016
The 17th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit in Venezuela closed on Sept 18, with NAM adopting the "Declaration of Margarita Island" which will guide the development of the movement for the next three years.
However, the Global Times understands from people who have attended the summit that in the course of consultations on drafting the document, Singapore had insisted on adding contents which endorsed Philippines' South China Sea arbitration case and attempted to strengthen the contents on the South China Sea in the document. Singapore did not succeed due to unequivocal opposition from many countries.
NAM was founded in 1961 and holds a meeting every three years. It reflects the desire of small and medium-sized countries to break free from the control of big nations and pursue national independence, and make an effort to retain influence on major developments in the world.
The current summit was held on Venezuela's Margarita Island in the Caribbean Sea, and was attended by about 1,000 representatives from 120 member states from NAM, 17 observer countries and 10 observer organisations.
Sources told Global Times that during the consultation process, several countries spoke and clearly opposed strengthening the contents on the South China Sea. The representative of Singapore was flustered and exasperated, and made sarcastic remarks on the stance of countries which objected to its attempt. The representative even used offensive words during the argument, and launched malicious attacks on the representatives of countries taking a fair position.
Moreover, during and after the foreign ministers' meeting, Singapore continued to complicate matters by openly challenging the ruling of Venezuela as the host nation, and this was met with unequivocal opposition from many countries. Many delegates expressed unhappiness with Singapore for ignoring the solidarity of NAM and openly challenging NAM's decision-making procedures and convention.
Due to Singapore's own self-interests, it continued its pestering during the consultation and meeting, repeatedly delaying the proceedings until late at night, leading to disgust among other countries.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said on Sept 20 that NAM, as a hallmark of developing countries seeking strength for themselves through unity, has played an important role in upholding world peace and facilitating common development. As an observer member of NAM, China has always endorsed the purposes and principles of NAM and attached great importance to the role played by it in international affairs.
He said that China will firmly support NAM in having a bigger say in international affairs, keep extending and intensifying the traditional friendship with NAM, and expand mutually beneficial cooperation. China will continue to stand by developing countries and make unremitting efforts to safeguard the common interests of developing countries, jointly build a new model of international relations featuring win-win cooperation and forge a community of shared future for mankind.
Singapore took over from Thailand as the "coordinator" for China-ASEAN ties last year for three years. However, Singapore's behaviour was eye-popping when the outcome from the so-called South China Sea arbitration case launched by the Philippines against China was released in July this year. Singapore was not a claimant state in the South China Sea dispute, but besides Vietnam and the Philippines, Singapore was the only ASEAN nation which gave explicit recognition to the so-called arbitration outcome. When China and ASEAN nations reached an agreement on a pragmatic statement which did not mention the South China Sea arbitration during the foreign ministers' meeting, Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong again called on the relevant nations to "respect" the so-called arbitration outcome during his visit to the United States.
On Aug 15 and 16, China and ASEAN nations held the 13th Senior Officials' Meeting and the 18th Joint Working Group Meeting on the Implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea in Manzhouli, Inner Mongolia. After the meeting, Chinese Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Liu Zhenmin affirmed that Singapore played an important role as the country coordinator in a reply to a reporter from Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao. At the same time, he said: "Singapore is not a party to the South China Sea, and we hope Singapore can actively promote and strengthen the cooperation between ASEAN nations and China, enhance the coordination and play a bigger role without intervening in the South China Sea."
Sources told Global Times that Sino-Singapore ties will certainly be affected if Singapore continued to intervene inappropriately in the South China Sea dispute.
GLOBAL TIMES
Translated by Lim Ruey Yan
* Global Times editor defends article critical of Singapore
He says report involving South China Sea reflects 'the real situation'
By Chong Koh Ping, China Correspondent, In Beijing, The Straits Times, 28 Sep 2016
A Chinese newspaper editor has defended a report that criticised Singapore diplomats for raising the South China Sea issue at a recent multilateral summit.
Global Times editor-in-chief Hu Xijin yesterday said he disagreed with Singapore's Ambassador to China Stanley Loh, who, in a letter to Mr Hu on Monday, refuted the allegations and said the daily's Sept 21 report "was replete with fabrications".
Mr Hu said the report on the Non-Aligned Movement's (NAM) 17th summit held in Venezuela two weeks ago reflected "the real situation" and that its sources were "serious and reliable". It was published in the Chinese edition of the daily.
He urged Singapore "to do a reflection and not pin labels on the Global Times, which reported the real situation".
The NAM was formed in 1961 by a group of newly independent countries that did not want to take sides in the Cold War between the United States and Soviet Union.
In its report, the Global Times, which is linked to the Chinese Communist Party, said Singapore had raised the South China Sea territorial dispute and a July arbitral tribunal ruling on the dispute at the meeting.
Mr Loh on Monday said Singapore did not do any of those things and that the actions and words attributed to Singapore in the report were "false and unfounded".
Instead, Singapore adopted a "principled position" throughout the meeting and defended the Non-Aligned Movement's principles and established practices of asking to update the paragraphs on South-east Asia in a document that will guide the development of the grouping for the next three years.
But Mr Hu said as the envoy to China, Mr Loh was likely not at the meeting. "Maybe this was what your government wanted you to say," he added.
He also said Singapore "has gone too far on the South China Sea issue", and "has consciously or sub-consciously taken sides", being among the very small number of ASEAN nations that have actively promoted the South China Sea arbitration.
"Singapore is siding more openly with the US and Japan on the South China Sea issue," he wrote.
He ended the letter by saying he hopes "Singapore can play the role of country coordinator of China-ASEAN relations well, and win the respect of Global Times readers and the Chinese public at large".
Commenting on the exchange, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang yesterday said the ministry has noted the reports, and that the Non-Aligned Movement's summit was not a suitable forum to discuss the South China Sea issue.
"Some individual countries insisted on playing up the issue of the South China Sea in the final document, but this was not accepted by most of the Non-Aligned Movement's member states," the spokesman said at a press briefing. The contents also did not reflect the common understanding - including that of China's - surrounding the South China Sea issue, he said.
China and Singapore "should understand and respect each other's position when it comes to important issues surrounding each other's core interests", he added.
In a reply to Mr Hu's letter late last night, Mr Loh said the crux of the matter is that the Global Times report "did not accurately reflect the proceedings at the recent NAM Summit".
While the newspaper relied on unnamed sources for information, Singapore took part in all the proceedings at the summit, Mr Loh added.
* Reporting on NAM meet inaccurate: Singapore envoy
The Straits Times, 28 Sep 2016
Singapore's ambassador to China, Mr Stanley Loh, yesterday responded to the Global Times editor-in-chief Hu Xijin's statement.
Dear [Editor-in-Chief Hu,]
I refer to your response to my letter of 26 Sept 2016.
The crux of the matter is that Global Times' report dated 21 Sept 2016 did not accurately reflect the proceedings at the recent NAM Summit. Global Times did not attend the meetings and had to rely on information from unnamed sources. In contrast, Singapore is a member of NAM and had participated in all the proceedings at the summit. Consequently, I have related the facts and this account can be verified by the public record of the meeting.
By the way, you misread my letter. The NAM Chair did not reject Singapore's request. In fact, the NAM Chair improperly rejected ASEAN's collective request to update the South-east Asia paragraphs to reflect the consensus of all 10 ASEAN member states. That is why Laos as Chair of ASEAN wrote to the Venezuelan Foreign Minister to put on record ASEAN's reservation to a paragraph in the South-east Asia section of the NAM Final Document. You failed to mention this ASEAN Chair letter which I had enclosed in my earlier letter to you. I have appended it again for your attention.
The other points you had raised are not relevant to the issue of the veracity of Global Times' report. Singapore has consistently adopted a clear and principled position. Our leaders have already addressed those issues on numerous previous occasions at meetings with your leaders. Our positions are not identical, but neither are we opposed. So we need to understand each other's position, accept differences and work towards enlarging shared interests with one another.
Once again, I request that Global Times publish my letter of 26 Sept 2016, including its annex, in full, in the print version where your report was first published. This is so that your readers can be fully and accurately informed in the interest of honesty, professionalism, objectivity and transparency.
Stanley Loh
Singapore's Ambassador to the People's Republic of China
Related
Full Text of Ambassador Stanley Loh's Letter to Global Times Editor-In-Chief Hu Xijin, in response to an article by Global Times (Chinese) dated 21 September 2016
Full text of Ambassador Stanley Loh's letter in response to Global Times Editor-in-Chief Hu Xijin's response dated 27 Sep 2016
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