Quiet diplomacy key to resolving South China Sea dispute, says diplomat

 

Singapore diplomat Kishore Mahbubani delivered a lecture at Taylor’s University last Friday titled ‘US-China Rivalry: Will Southeast Asia Come Out on Top?’. (Taylor’s University pic)

PETALING JAYA: 

Veteran Singapore diplomat Kishore Mahbubani says Malaysia is taking the right approach in its engagement with China over disputes which have arisen in the South China Sea.

Speaking to FMT, the former UN Security Council president urged Putrajaya to continue engaging Beijing via diplomatic channels to resolve issues relating to China’s recent incursions into parts of Malaysia’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

China controversially claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, including parts of the 200-nautical-mile EEZs off the coasts of Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei and Taiwan.

A big lesson I’ve learnt in diplomacy is that public diplomacy with a megaphone is unsuccessful. Private diplomacy, where you talk face-to-face privately and off the record, is very successful,

 said Mahbubani.

“China has problems with Vietnam and the Philippines. On one side, you have a lot of noise. On the other side, you have no noise. And quite often, the side where there is no noise is where you see results and resolutions.

So, I would say to continue the private discussions. I think it’s very important to maintain a dialogue,

 said Mahbubani.

He was speaking after delivering a lecture last week at Taylor’s University titled ‘US-China Rivalry: Will Southeast Asia Come Out on Top?’.

Recently, Wisma Putra refrained from commenting on a report by Defence Security Asia that three China coast guard ships were found within the limits of Malaysia’s EEZ on Sept 3.

The vessels were reportedly patrolling the waters near a Petronas oil rig in the Kasawari gas field off Sarawak. The area is said to contain reserves estimated to be worth billions of ringgit.

In a Sept 9 statement, the foreign ministry said it was aware of the report, but was not at liberty to comment on it as the matter came within the purview of the country’s security and defence authorities.

Earlier this month, a Filipino news portal published a classified diplomatic note from China to the Malaysian High Commission in Beijing demanding that Malaysia immediately cease activities in the area.

The publication prompted Wisma Putra to launch an internal investigation into the note’s leak.

Asean needs collective stance in US-China tensions

Mahbubani also advised Asean not to get drawn into the US-China conflict amid heightened geopolitical tensions. He said the regional grouping should maintain a collective neutral stance to safeguard its own interests.

Asean needs to speak out more loudly and clearly to the US and China,

 he said, adding that the two superpowers should not expect Asian countries to take sides in any standoff.

If Asean is forced to pick sides, it will break apart.

Mahbubani said most Asean countries have made it clear that they don’t want to pick sides. 

But it’s not enough for these states to do this individually, they have to do it collectively.

Mahbubani called on Asean to do more to impress its importance to both the US and China, saying it is in its own interests to do so.

Unfortunately, Asean has not conveyed this message to Beijing and Washington forcefully enough,

 Mahbubani said. - FMT