REGION South China Sea dispute and the U.S. Emergency
Statement of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at a forum meeting security concerns 27 countries, the ASEAN Regional Forum, mid-July, about the need for immediate settlement of the South China Sea territorial dispute, immediately get a strong reaction from the Government of China.
Moreover, China's navy also warned the United States (U.S.) in order to shift the sea military exercises with South Korea from the Yellow Sea because it was considered too close to China's sovereign territory.
U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen said the aggressive behavior of China's claims on territory in the Pacific and Indian Ocean to the attention of U.S. and also India. "China seems increasingly asserts itself more and more strongly associated with the claim area. They seem to take a much more aggressive approach in recent years to areas near the South China Sea, "he said.
Since China's economy is growing very rapidly and then made the communist state as the dominant world economic power, even the prime mover in the current world economy, the U.S. is very worried. Economic progress would also impact on the development of China's military power on a large scale.
Concerns began to emerge. China's first concentrate on the construction of ground troops has increasingly expanded by building a navy and the army's massive. Their goal is to become a sea power across the ocean (blue water navy), as well as the U.S. and Russia.
However, Admiral Mike Mullen expressed, the shift in military capabilities of China's development is full of question marks, causing the closure of both concerns of many countries.
As a major economic power, China's only natural that interest in "securing" traffic in and out of different needs and economic products. The same is done to U.S. and Russia. So, easy to understand if the "new arrivals", China will face opposition from those who had already mastered many of the world's sea area.
Oil and gas wealth
South China Sea region to region in the south of the Archipelago Sea is a sea area which is vital for world trade traffic. Therefore, both the U.S. and China are equally concerned over the sea area.
The difference is, China has ratified the UN Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which recognizes the sovereignty of a country on the territory as far as 12 nautical miles (about 22.2 km) of coastline, including the coastline of the islands that became part of the country.
UNCLOS also recognizes the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of a country in the sea area of 200 nautical miles (about 370 km) of shoreline.
While the U.S. has yet to acknowledge that UNCLOS because it is considered to comply will restrict the "freedom" U.S.. Therefore, when a military ship, which said the United States as a marine survey ship, was expelled by China because the ships are assumed to "steal" the wealth and resources of the sea below, the conflict is due to a different viewpoint.
However, even now the U.S. is "thirsty" to explore the rich natural resources that are far away from its territory. Crude oil leak tragedy in the Gulf of Mexico which cause pollution in the history of the country's biggest and raises sea oil drilling moratorium policy in the U.S. waters around the area.
In fact, the oil companies in the world, most of which shares are also owned by U.S. businessmen, always require new fields to maintain or even increase its revenue coffers.
South China Sea region has long been believed to be rich in oil and gas resources. According to some diplomats, China has been pressing a lot of foreign companies that have made an agreement with Vietnam to not develop blocks of oil and gas. As a result, in 2007, as written Reuters, oil giant BP Plc plans to stop the exploration in the offshore southern Vietnam because of territorial dispute with China.
Especially with regard to the Spratly Islands dispute and Paracel equally claimed by China, Taiwan, Brunei, Philippines, Malaysia, and Vietnam.
Assertion China's top oil and gas wealth in the South China Sea that's exactly what makes the U.S. now come speak. Not only with Vietnam, some of the world's oil giant also has an agreement with Taiwan, but again hit China's claims that sees Taiwan as part of its territory. Even if somebody tried to ignore the warning that China, the communist country has now truly ready to "punish" anyone with a fleet of advanced warships.
Indonesia's position
Although not directly related to the disputed South China Sea region, concerns over military dominance and social influence, economics, and politics of China in this area actually put Indonesia in an increasingly strategic position.
With its geographical position in the international shipping lanes of traffic most importantly, the population and great economic potential, socio-political profile of an open and democratic, put Indonesia in the best position possible to reduce China's dominance.
Announcement of U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates about the resumption of military relations with the U.S. Army Special Forces Command (Kopassus) could be interpreted as an indication the U.S. was aware of Indonesia's great potential.
Unfortunately, among policy makers in Indonesia, such as less aware of potential "bargaining position" Indonesia towards the U.S.. Number of people are still "traumatized" by the U.S. unfair treatment with the easy "punish" the government and the Indonesian military in East Timor because of the problem first or Papua. However, it should not make us do not realize the enormous potential in front of the eye.
In the field of foreign policy, Indonesia, including those actively encouraging U.S. involvement in the region through the expansion of East Asian forum participants Summit (EAS). His background was conveyed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Marty Natalegawa. Indonesia is very concerned to maintain a balance in the region.
U.S. and Russian presence easily understood as a balancing force strength of China's increasingly difficult dammed 16 EAS participating countries that exist today.
The question is, what is obtained by Indonesia with the entry of the U.S.? The extent to which Indonesia abuse of a position that she offered to get a "reward" is bigger than the U.S. for the benefit of all the Indonesian people?
To compensate for the rise of China's naval forces, naval forces Indonesian ideally also be built into a formidable sea power. However, with economic development that is not very fast, difficult to budget for large-scale purchases of major equipment of weapons systems (defense equipment) RI's naval forces.
On the other hand, the U.S. also did not offer assistance to enhance the capabilities of Indonesia's naval defense equipment. Therefore, Indonesia should be more intelligent use of regional geopolitics constellation at this time.
Source: KOMPAS
