Littoral rights? No. it is about stakeholder.

【Comment】

針對日本自衛隊將在六月下旬與菲律賓展開包括P-3C巡邏的聯合演習，中國表示「嚴重關切與憤慨」(gravely concerned and indignant)，要日本巡邏機滾出南海。

五月間，日本才派遣兩艘軍艦與菲律賓進行一天的象徵性演習。但位置距離黃岩島很近，也很具象徵性。

假使中國如期所誓：不挑戰國際海洋法公約，則各國對領海的無害通過與飛越，是UNCLOS合法的權利。

美日雖然不是南海的沿岸國(littoral countries)，卻是UNCLOS的簽約國與公海利用國，亦即利益相關國 (stakeholder)。現在公海航行受到限制了，美日當然有權利關切與捍衛自身利益。

问：近期，日方在诸多场合炒作南海问题，渲染南海局势紧张，影射和指责中国，对中国南海岛礁建设妄加指责。中方对此有何评论？

　　答：中方对日方有关消极动向表示严重关切和愤慨，已多次向日方提出严正交涉。

　　我必须强调，中国对南沙群岛及其附近海域拥有无可争辩的主权。中国在南沙群岛部分驻守岛礁进行建设完全是中方主权范围内的事，合法、合理、合情，不影响也不针对任何国家，无可非议。

　　日本不是南海问题当事国，近期的表现很不正常，蓄意插手南海问题，挑动地区国家间的矛盾，恶意制造南海局势紧张。日方举动无助于南海争议解决，不利于南海和平稳定，也严重损害中日政治安全互信，与中日关系改善势头背道而驰。我们再次敦促日方恪守在南海争议问题上不持立场的承诺，立即停止炒作南海问题和对中方的无理指责，不要因一己私利挑动各方矛盾，以实际行动维护中日关系改善势头，尊重中国与东盟国家维护南海和平稳定的努力。

China Warns Japan to Stay out of South China Sea○The National Interesst (2015.06.12)

China is “gravely concerned and indignant” over Japan’s plans to step patrols in the South China Sea.

In a regular scheduled press conference on Friday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Hong Lei, warned Japan to stay out of the South China Sea dispute.

“The Chinese side is gravely concerned and indignant about the negative moves of the Japanese side.  We have lodged multiple solemn representations with Japan,” Hong stated.

He went on to say:

Japan is not a party concerned to the South China Sea issue.  Recently it has behaved in an abnormal way, deliberately thrust a hand in the South China Sea issue, driven a wedge among regional countries and maliciously created tensions in the South China Sea.  Japan’s moves do no good to solve the South China Sea disputes, or safeguard peace and stability of the South China Sea.  It also severely damages the political and security mutual trust between China and Japan, and runs counter to the momentum of improving bilateral relations.  We once again urge the Japanese side to abide by its commitment of not taking sides on the South China Sea disputes, put an immediate end to the hyping up of the South China Sea issue and groundless accusations against China, stop provoking conflicts among different parties for self-serving interests, genuinely maintain the momentum of improving Sino-Japanese relations and respect the efforts by China and ASEAN countries to safeguard peace and stability of the South China Sea.

The spokesperson’s comments come on the heels of Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Forces announcing it will hold a joint military exercise with the Philippines in the South China Sea later this month.

“We will announce the details such as the schedule and assets we will send as soon as the plan is fixed,” Tomohisa Takei, chief of staff for the Maritime Self-Defense Force, told Japanese reporters earlier this week.  Nonetheless, Japanese media outlets have reported that Tokyo will dispatch a P3-C Orion patrol aircraft for the exercise.

Last month, Japan sent two destroyers to the South China Sea to hold a one-day exercise with the Philippines, which reportedly had one of its newest warships participate.  That exercise took place just 300 kilometers away from the Scarborough Shoal, which China seized from the Philippines in 2011.

The United States strongly backs Japan’s participation in the South China Sea, and in fact has reportedly proposed joint U.S.-Japanese patrols in the area.

In an interview with Reuters earlier this year, Admiral Robert Thomas, America’s top naval officer in the Western Pacific, said that "I think that JSDF (Japan Maritime Self Defense Forces) operations in the South China Sea makes sense in the future.”  Thomas noted that Chinese capabilities in the region currently outmatch those of its neighbors, and therefore Southeast Asian nations see Japan as a stabilizing force.

The United States has also increased its calls for China to stop its reclamation projects in the South China Sea.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is currently trying to pass legislation that would give the JSDF the right to engage in “collective self-defense.”  This would significantly reduce the legal barriers inhibiting Japan’s ability to play a military role in the South China Sea dispute.

Zachary Keck is managing editor of The National Interest. You can find him on Twitter: @ZacharyKeck.