China rejects arbitration tribunal South China Sea ruling ; History backs China in sea disputes

China on Wednesday rejected a Hague-based arbitration tribunal's ruling giving it six months to respond to a legal claim by the Philippines over disputed waters in the South China Sea.

China's stance of not accepting or participating in the arbitration proceedings filed by the Philippines has not changed, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said at a regular briefing on Wednesday.

The response came after the tribunal of The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, the Netherlands, issued a statement on Tuesday, which requires China to submit evidence to defend its territorial claims in the South China Sea before December 15.

The tribunal cited an obligation to assure "each party a full opportunity to be heard and to present its case," according to a Tuesday statement.

The Philippines in March filed a memorandum to the international arbitration under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), questioning the validity of China's "nine-dash" territorial claim.

However, experts said that without a bilateral agreement, the UNCLOS has no jurisdiction to interfere in sovereignty issues, which made China's stance reasonable and lawful.

"The international arbitration procedure must be agreed by both parties. If China rejects participating, the arbitration will not work," Ji Qiufeng, a professor of international relations with Nanjing University, told the Global Times.

Ji noted that the international tribunal is most likely to withdraw the Philippines' case.

"It will be a wise decision for the international tribunal as it lacks power to enforce. Even if the tribunal makes a judgment by default, China will not accept its verdict," Ji said. "The tribunal may lose its credibility."

The United States has said it supports the Philippines' arbitration case, which is closely watched by other claimant countries including Vietnam, which said last month it was considering legal action against China after a Chinese oil rig started to operate in waters near the Xisha Islands that Hanoi claims as it territory.

Ji pointed out that Vietnam's legal threat is very likely to depend on the result of the Philippines' case. "As China stands firm against the Manila plea, Hanoi should be aware that the threats would prove in vain."

- By Hu Qingyun Source:Global Times Published: 2014-6-5 0:43:01

History backs China in sea disputes

China has been criticized by some countries for making "ambiguous" claims on the islands, islets, reefs and waters in the South China Sea. For example, it has been criticized for "failing to honor" the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea despite being a signatory to it, as well as for "violating" other international laws on the sea.

A few international observers also accuse China of deliberately obscuring its territorial claims in the South China Sea by using terms not found in the UNCLOS, such as "adjacent waters" and "relevant waters". And some countries keep demanding that China "clarify" its nine-dash line map.

The fact is that, if these countries do not change their mindset and attitude, the nine-dash line will continue to be vague for them irrespective of how clearly China defines it.

China has an unequivocal and consistent territorial claim on the islands and other land features in the South China Sea. As a matter of fact, it has unequivocally stated its claim in three official documents: the 1947 Location Map of the South China Sea Islands released by the Kuomingtang government in Nanjing, the 1958 Declaration of the Government of New China on the Territorial Sea and the 1992 Law on Territorial Sea and Contiguous Zone. These documents state that the Dongsha Islands, Xisha Islands, Zhongsha Islands, Nansha Islands and other islands are part of the sovereign territory of China.

Some countries view China's maritime claim in the South China Sea as ambiguous because of certain historical reasons. The first reason is that the UNCLOS does not properly address the issue of historic rights. Despite the reference to historic title in Articles 15 and 298(1)(a), the provision on historic bays in Article 15(6), and the recognition of traditional fishing rights in Article 51, it does not have any provision for the definition of historic rights or their specific connotation and denotation.

The second is that no consistent understanding has been reached in international law on historic rights. For example, Yehuda Z. Blum, an Israeli professor of law and diplomat, has observed: The term "historic rights" denotes the possession by a state, over certain land or maritime areas, of rights that would not normally accrue to it under the general rules of international law, such rights having been acquired by that state through a process of historical consolidation ... Historic rights are a product of a lengthy process comprising a long series of acts, omissions and patterns of behavior which, in their entirety, and through their cumulative effect, bring such rights into being and consolidate them into rights valid in international law.

Besides, a state acquires historic rights through effective exercise of these rights (long series of acts, omissions and patterns of behavior) by one or more states, a practice followed by relevant states. The concept of historic rights is almost equivalent to that of historic water.

In this vein, Leo Bouchez, a renowned international law professor, says the concept of "historic rights" has evolved from the concept of "historic water" and "historic bays". The development from "historic bays" to "historic water" and from "historic title" to "historic rights" indicates the evolution of legal concepts with the development of state practice, and that such concepts have not been finalized.

From the point of view of China, one of the world's oldest civilizations, the South China Sea is part of the traditional Asian order and, hence, it would be inappropriate to comprehend the nine-dash line by relying solely on the Westphalian nation-state system.

As Keyuan Zou, Harris professor of International Law at the University of Central Lancashire in the UK, has observed, the South China Sea nine-dash line map was officially released by the Chinese Kuomingtang government half a century before the UNCLOS, and one decade before the 1958 Four Geneva Conventions on the Law of the Sea. Thus, China's historic rights within the nine-dash line cannot be ignored. The nine-dash line drawn by the Chinese government in 1947, at approximately the median position between China's South China Sea islands and reefs and the coastlines of bordering states, reflects the scope of China's claims. The consistency of the claims has been maintained by China after 1949, and the claims have been recognized or acquiesced to by bordering states over a long period of time. Therefore, the nine-dash line has probative force and weight under international law.

The so-called ambiguity in China's nine-dash line map and its claim on the waters within that line mainly stems from the imperfection of the UNCLOS. To some extent, international law on historic rights is defective in theory and doctrine and lacks a unified standard.

China has been striving to clarify its claim in the South China Sea. But the joint efforts of the international community are also needed to complement and improve the UNCLOS by agreeing to a new international convention or protocol in order to clarify the understanding of historic rights.

The author is deputy director of Maritime Security Institute at East China University of Political Science and Law in Shanghai. The views expressed are personal. His most recent book is Legal Interpretation of China's South China Sea Map: An Inclusive Approach to Ocean Public Order.

- By Zheng Zhihua (China Daily)

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- Contributed By CAO YIN (China Daily)

World's largest Internet hacker

The spying actions of the US have underscored the urgency of formulating common rules for activities in cyberspace

Last month, the United States Attorney-General Eric Holder announced the indictments of five Chinese military personnel on cyber espionage charges, accusing them of hacking into US companies in the nuclear power, metals and solar products industries. This has seriously compromised relations with China and sabotaged the bilateral cybersecurity cooperation that had been put back onto a normal track after overcoming setbacks.

With the indictments, the US has tried to present itself as the largest victim of cyberattacks, when in fact it is the Cold War mentality and troublemaking of the US that have precipitated the instability and insecurity in cyberspace. If the US doesn't change its behavior, all peoples in the world may become victims of Internet insecurity.

In June 2013, Edward Snowden, a former US National Security Bureau contractor, revealed US intelligence agencies were conducting large-scale network spy programs, such as PRISM, Xkeyscore and others, across the world. His disclosures indicated the omnipotence of the US' Internet surveillance and cyberattacks, which range from spying on communication metadata and backbone networks to the monitoring of short message services, instant messaging and video chats; from spying on ordinary people to spying on enterprises, universities, military units and even heads of state, not to mention the revelations about the US' cyber warfare capabilities.

Aside from its cyber command that has been rapidly growing, the US' marine, land and air forces have also set up their own cyber headquarters. Cyber combat capabilities are already regarded as part of the weaponry of the US' fighting forces. A series of US cyber combat programs have been revealed, from Stuxnet to Fslame and X-Plan, all of which indicate that the US has mastered more complicated means and more threatening abilities than other countries in terms of cyberattacks.

The latest indictments against the five Chinese military personnel have also reminded people of a series of previous cyber espionage claims against China by the US. In February 2013, Mandiant, a US cybersecurity firm, released a report accusing China's military of plotting hacker attacks against US enterprises. After that, many in the US, including the president and senior government officials, expressed a tough stance toward China and threatened economic sanctions against it. Some even suggested that US enterprises "hacked" by China should make cyber counterattacks in retaliation. Such groundless accusations of Chinese cyberattacks have drastically tainted the US' domestic political environment toward China and also frozen cybersecurity cooperation between the two countries.

The Chinese government has consistently advocated a new type of major-power relations with the US, and it has refrained from overreacting to Washington's "threatening signals". Even after the Snowden revelations, the Chinese government still adhered to the principles of no-conflict, no-confrontation, mutual respect and mutually beneficial cooperation, and it is actively pushing for cooperation with the US in cybersecurity and working for the establishment of a cybersecurity work panel under the Sino-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue framework.

All the evidence indicates that it is the US that is the world's largest Internet hacker and that the global cyber arms race triggered by the US' actions poses the largest threat to global cybersecurity. The US has so far cited "for the sake of national security" as the only excuse for its pervasive Internet espionage. The US should know that a country cannot put its national security above the interests and national security of other countries and the basic norms of international relations. The double standards the US has embraced in cybersecurity have damaged its credibility and compromised its image as a responsible power.

To enjoy the dividends of the booming Internet sector and communication technologies, cyberspace must be peaceful, safe, open and cooperative. Cyberspace should not be a field for either a cold or hot war, and the latest developments have once again underscored the importance and urgency for formulating common rules for cyber activities.

The US indictments of the Chinese military personnel are not conducive to global efforts to maintain the stability and security of cyberspace. The US, by taking advantage of its technological and military dominance, has established a cyber hegemony. It is hoped the US can lead the global Internet sector to develop in a healthy direction, as it once spearheaded the progress of Internet technologies for human progress.

- Contributed By Tang Lan (China Daily) The author is deputy director of the Institute of Information and Social Development Studies, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations.

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Chinese president urges countries to cooperate to promote security Chinese Presi

Shangri-La Dialogue proves unfairly dominated by Washington, regional harsh accusations

The Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD), held annually in Singapore, is a security forum where Western, especially US discourse power has the upper hand. It's not, as the West claimed, timed to deal with security anxieties ratcheted up in the Asia-Pacific region, but a platform to sell US security doctrines that are positively portrayed as "contributing to regional stability."

Throughout these years, three terms have been used over and over to describe China's defense policy at the dialogue, among which "uncertain" is the lightest one. In recent times, China has been increasingly accused of being "aggressive" or "bullying" others. The SLD, which is actually led by the US, offers a platform to communicate with Beijing while pressuring it.

Another purpose of the SLD is to coordinate relations among US allies. At the SLD over last weekend, US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel rallied defense ministers from Japan and South Korea to hold a trilateral meeting despite strained relationship between Seoul and Tokyo.

Tempers frayed unprecedentedly at this year's SLD, as Japan and the US ganged up to antagonize China. The keynote address delivered by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was a barrage against China and its recent behavior in the East China Sea and South China Sea disputes.

Abe emphasized the importance of international law to resolve or at least manage disputes. He also pledged Japan would play an "even greater and more proactive role" with stronger defense ties to Southeast Asia, including an offer to provide patrol boats to the Philippines and Vietnam.

In a subsequent address next morning, US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel endorsed Abe's speech and unleashed a rhetorical fusillade on China.

The rhetoric from Tokyo and Washington only reinforced both countries' anxieties over China's growing might.

It's not difficult to pick out logical loopholes from Abe's elaborate speech. He clamored for respect for international law, but the prime minister's ambition to enshrine collective self-defense is a violation of Japan's pacifist constitution. How can we expect a man who disregards domestic law to respect international law?

Japan promised to enhance its security role in Southeast Asia. But how can its Self-Defense Forces still be called this if they stretch into Southeast Asia?

The clumsy attacks against China didn't score much resonance from the Southeast Asian contingent, the most important audience at Shangri-La.

Vietnam and the Philippines acted rather constrainedly in Singapore. And after Hagel's speech, a professor from Indonesia asked the defense secretary whether the US is contradicting itself by opposing one single country, implicitly China, dominating East Asia while the US itself pursues a dominant role. But Hagel evaded giving a direct answer.

The tone of this SLD was set during Abe's keynote speech. The Chinese delegation were duly incensed and forced to return fire.

Wang Guanzhong, deputy chief of the General Staff of the PLA, accused Abe and Hagel of sticking to each other targeting China, departing from the speech he had prepared for the dialogue. The Chinese side went toe-to-toe with Washington and Tokyo.

In its move from being a reluctant participant in the SLD, China now engages actively in the security forum.

This year, the sizeable contingent from China includes military representatives, scholars, media persons and a diplomatic delegation led by Fu Ying, chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee of China's National People's Congress.

The primary goal of the Chinese delegation was to advocate and elaborate a new security concept for Asia. Nonetheless, we were kidnapped by the crude Western accusations and forced into a defensive battle.

In recent years, there are soaring attacks against China at the SLD, a West-dominated platform.

China should prepare itself for provocations and respond in a more wise and humorous way. There is no need to be led by the nose by the Western countries.

More importantly, we should cultivate and expand the clout of multilateral platforms where China can have a bigger say, such as the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia and the World Peace Forum.

Sources: The article was compiled by Global Times reporter Yu Jincui with Jin Canrong, associate dean of the School of International Studies, Renmin University of China. yujincui@globaltimes.com.cn

Regional harsh accusations overshadow Shangri-La talks

Perhaps the number "13" is unlucky after all. For, over this weekend, the 13th Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD), the premier Asia-Pacific security forum held annually in Singapore, was unfortunately shrouded in a thicket of almost tangible tension.

The first salvo was launched by none other than the increasingly controversial Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. During his keynote speech at SLD opening dinner, Abe made a thinly veiled accusation that China upset the status quo in the East China Sea by threat of force.

Abe talked about the need to change the country's legal basis, a reference to the amendment of Japan's pacifist constitution, to enable it to take part in "collective self-defense." But amiss in Abe's extensive description of the "new Japanese" concept was any mention of Japan's militaristic past which still casts a dark pall over many of its victimized neighbors.

The next morning, as if in sync, US secretary of defense Chuck Hagel wasted no time in his keynote speech to directly confront China by accusing the latter of unilaterally altering the status quo in the South China Sea.

Hagel followed up by officially stating the US disapproval of China's setting up of an Air Defense Identification Zone in the East China Sea. Echoing Abe, Hagel agreed with the need to amend the Japanese constitution, and even mooted the reassessment of their joint defense treaty.

The unusually blunt and strident US posture during this year's SLD startled many observers. But a careful examination of the recent chain of events both regionally and worldwide may provide some clues as to Hagel's tough tone.

A rapidly emergent China, with its attendant rising confidence in tackling foreign and regional matters, almost inevitably gave rise to the perception among some US policymakers that the hitherto more or less unchallenged regional leadership of the US in the Asia-Pacific region was being increasingly sapped.

This resulted in the US urgency to reassert its preeminent role in at least the security matters of the region. Hence the notions of "pivoting" and "rebalancing" rang aloud in US rhetoric versus this region. This sense of acute leadership reinstatement is further exacerbated by recent US foreign policy fiascos around the world.

The Edward Snowden-revealed US blatant spying on foes and allies alike continued to gnaw at global US credibility and moral standing. US President Barack Obama's own threat of use of force to resolve the Syrian civil war was essentially upstaged by a last-minute Russian brokered deal to avert imminent attack.

Yet the Chinese responded to these seemingly joint attacks with a two-pronged approach. The more genteel response was delivered by its former vice foreign minister Fu Ying, who reassured the region of China's peaceful intension and long-standing contribution to regional security.

The more head-on response came in the form of off-the-cuff remarks Wang Guanzhong, deputy chief of the General Staff of the PLA, who characterized both Abe and Hagel's speeches as being provocative to China.

Nevertheless, it should be mentioned that the general mood among many of the SLD participants from regional neighbors was such that while potential Japanese remilitarization and the return of US hegemony in the region were certainly not welcome, a certain perception of increasing Chinese assertiveness in the region, rightly or otherwise, was also taking root. China needs to redouble its efforts in assuring its neighbors of its purported peaceful rise.

But despite their confrontational postures, both Wang and Hagel made ample mentions of various ongoing and perspective security cooperation mechanisms between the US and China, giving the impression that their "new type of major power relationship" could still hold up despite stark differences.

In addition, Abe, Hagel and Wang variously gave high praises for the important roles in regional security played by East Asian Summit, ASEAN Regional Forum as well as ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus.

It is in this sense that despite the dense and serious mood permeating this year's SLD, a glimmer of hope can still be gleaned.

Contributed by Ei Sun Oh Source:Global Times Published: 2014-6-3 19:38:01
The author is a senior fellow with the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn

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SINGAPORE, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Island or maritime demarcation disputes should be solved through coordination and negotiations between directly involved parties on the basis of respecting historical facts and international law, a Chinese general said on Sunday.

China's sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the South China Sea were established through the long process of historical development, said Wang Guanzhong, deputy chief of general staff of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), at the 13th Shangri-La Dialogue..

It can be traced back to over 2,000 years ago, or the Han Dynasty, when China started discovering and gradually maturing its administration over the South China Sea, especially the Nansha Islands and related sea area, Wang said..

The Xisha Islands and the Nansha Islands, both in the South China Sea, were occupied by Japan during World War II, and returned to China in 1946 under the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation..

After the return of these islands to China, the Chinese government in 1948 mapped out the nine-dash line, which is clearly marked in historical documents and world maps drawn by different countries, the general said..

China's neighboring countries never raised doubts about China's sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the Nasha Islands, the Xisha Islands and the related sea area until the 1970s when rich oil resources were discovered in the South China Sea, he said..

China, as a signatory country to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), respects the convention which took effect in 1994. However, Wang said, China's sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the South China Sea islands and islets as well as related sea waters came into being over the past 2,000 years..

The UNCLOS, which took effect in 1994, cannot re-demarcate sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction that came into being over such a prolonged period of time in history, while recognizing countries' historical rights over seas and islands and islets, Wang said..

The UNCLOS is inapplicable to the adjustment of ownership of sea islands and islets, he said. The law governing the sea is an enormous and comprehensive law system, not merely a single UNCLOS..

Meanwhile, the adjustment is also not merely subject to a single international law of sea -- there is an enormous international law system which includes the international law of sea, he said. Thus, only using the UNCLOS to argue is not workable, he said..

China has signed the UNCLOS and respects it, but the United States has not signed the convention because it feels many provisions of the convention are against it, he said..

Wang noted China's stance in this regard is coherent and clear, that is, China advocates solving the disputes over islands and maritime demarcation through direct consultations and talks with the directly-involved parties..

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China was completely justified in rejecting remarks made by US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel at the 13th Asia Security Summit, or Shangri-La Dialogue, in Singapore on Saturday.

The US defense chief did everything he could to point an accusing finger. He not only charged China with taking "destabilizing, unilateral actions" in the South China Sea but also criticized the demarcation of an Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) over the East China Sea and the so-called cyber spying against the United States.

The US accusations are nothing but groundless and unreasonable. It is inappropriate for the defense chief to fire anti-China remarks from the podium of a regional security forum where the US stance is by no means constructive to regional peace and stability.

Wang Guanzhong, deputy chief of general staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army who led the Chinese delegation, rightfully pointed out that Hagel's speech bore every sign of US hegemony as it was filled with full of incitement, instigation, threat and intimidation.

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Wang's comment provides an accurate lens for people to see through Washington's real intentions in the region. Hagel has criticized China for taking so-called destabilizing and unilateral actions in the South China Sea. In fact, it is the US's unilateral move in the region that has encouraged some countries in the region to covet islands and islets to which they are not entitled.

Until 2009 no country had challenged China's de facto control over the "nine-dash line" that outlines its territory in the South China Sea. The area of jurisdiction is explicitly defined, and China holds indisputable proof of its sovereignty over the waters. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, to which some claimant countries have frequently referred, also respects historical sovereignty.

Since 2009, when the Obama administration set out to implement its "rebalancing to Asia" policy, Washington has strengthened its military ties with its regional allies and shipped advanced military equipment to the region. It is no secret that Washington has assumed the role of a wirepuller behind a number of maritime territorial disputes in the region.

As for the US objection to China's establishment of an ADIZ over the East China Sea, it is obvious that Washington has raised the tone of its criticism out of fear that China's increasing activities in the region may impair its vested interests.

Since China announced the establishment of the ADIZ on Nov 23, the US has been leading a chorus denouncing the move. Their criticism is hardly worth refuting as China's ADIZ conforms to international law and international practice – more than 20 countries have set up ADIZs, and the US was the first to do so 60 years ago.

During Saturday's speech, Hagel tried to depict the US as country that dutifully defends the international order in the Asia Pacific. Washington never hides its intention to play a leading role in regional affairs but with such an unconstructive attitude as displayed in Hagel's remarks, even countries welcoming a bigger role for Uncle Sam in the region, could not help but wonder about the US's real intentions. More and more people in this region have begun to realize that the US only wants to fish in troubled waters.

"The United States will not look the other way when fundamental principles to the international order are being challenged," Hagel said. Again this is hypocritical as well as self-deceiving.

The US has thrown its weight behind Japan, its regional ally, since September 2012 when the Japanese government unilaterally announced its decision to "nationalize" China's Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea. Washington should be reminded that Japan's attempt to change the status quo in the East China Sea and its increasingly rightist behavior are posing the greatest threat to the norms governing international order.

As such, by lodging unwarranted accusations against China, Hagel has sent a wrong signal in Singapore. His arguments do a disservice to regional efforts in quelling maritime disputes as well as sowing more seeds of discord in the region.

By Wang Hui China Daily

Provocative remarks from U.S., Japan not helpful for regional security: Chinese general

Wang Guanzhong, deputy chief of the General Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, speaks during the fourth plenary session of the 13th Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore June 1, 2014, the final day of the multilateral forum focusing on security issues in Asia. (Xinhua/Then Chih Wey)

SINGAPORE, June 1 (Xinhua) -- The provocative harsh remarks against China by United States Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at a regional security forum are not helpful for regional peace and stability, an army general heading the Chinese delegation said on Sunday.

Delivering a speech on the third day of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Wang Guanzhong said he has planned to use the opportunity to elaborate on China's newly proposed approach and framework of common security and cooperative security in Asia but had to move away from the prepared text to respond.

"My feeling is that Mr. Abe and Mr. Hagel were singing notes in chorus. They were corroborating and colluding and using the opportunities to speak first at the Shangri-La Dialogue to take the initiative to provoke and challenge China," he told military generals, defense chiefs and scholars.

Hagel criticized China as being the one taking unilateral actions on the South China Sea and said that the United States will maintain its leadership in the Asia Pacific and defend the interests of its allies. He also repeated the U.S. pretext of concerns for the freedom of navigation and respect for international law in the South China Sea.

Wang said he did not expect the languages of hegemonism and words of intimidation in the speech of Hagel.

"He made a speech to stoke instability and encourage fight picking in the Asia Pacific. The attitude there is not constructive," the Chinese general said.

No disputes or incidents have been initiated by China over a long period of time on sovereign and maritime issues and China has always had to respond, he said.

Abe delivered a keynote speech on Friday evening full of thinly- veiled comments aimed at China. He talked about how he intends to revise and push beyond the limit of Japan's pacifist constitution that was put in place after the World War II and how he intends to go for a larger role for Japan in Asia in security by promoting the idea of "proactive peace" and giving patrol ships to the Philippines and Vietnam to support their maritime claims.

Wang said everybody can see the remarks of Abe, full of innuendoes, are aimed at China.

"Hagel was being quite frank. He just bluntly and openly criticized China, albeit baseless. But I rather like his way of talking. If you want to say something, it's better to just say it directly," he said.

"As a prime minister, Abe was invited to the Shangri-La Dialogue by the organizers to give a speech. He could have upheld the goal of dialogue facilitation set for the forum to advance peace and security in the Asia Pacific. He could have contributed constructive suggestions but, opposite to the spirit of the dialogue meeting, he initiated incidents and stoke disputes," Wang said.

"I think this is not acceptable, and this is not in line with the spirit of the dialogue meeting," he added.

Wang said that China never took the initiative at the Shangri- La Dialogue to incite disputes.

"If you also look at what the United States and Japan did, it was not difficult to see who took the initiative to pick fights and incite disputes and conflicts. From the speeches of Abe and Hagel, we can see who on earth are aggressive. It is the United States and Japan corroborating with each other, and not China," he said.

Despite the harsh words from the United States and Japan, Wang called for cooperation and coordination to work for regional peace and stability.

Both China and the United States have common interests in a world of increasingly interdependent countries, and Chinese President Xi Jinping has recently proposed the approach of common security and sustainable security for Asia, which calls for cooperative security and mutually beneficial development to lead efforts for peace and stability in the region.

China has said that the approach of dividing Asian countries into allies and non-allies by the United States will not lead to security for all and that the 21st century is the time to drop the mentality of alliance to achieve security at the expense of other countries.

The approach outlined by China calls for efforts from all the countries in the region to contribute to regional peace and stability through the pursuit of cooperation and development. Scholars said the approach is much more inclusive and that other countries are also welcome to play a constructive role.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Anatoly Antonov voiced concerns for the detrimental impact on regional peace and stability from the wave of color revolutions with democracy as a pretext.

He said that Russia is opposed to the deployment of missile defense systems in the Asia Pacific which breaks the strategic balance in the region.

Antonov also questioned the idea of the United States must be a leader.

"We are opposed to any division of the Asia Pacific nations into 'primary' and 'secondary' ones, leaders and supporters. We are all equal. We have equal rights and obligations. At the same time every nation is unique in terms of its history, cultural heritage and traditions," he said.

The Shangri-La Dialogue, officially the Asian Security Summit organized by the International Institute of Strategic Studies, a London-based think thank, gathers defense and military representatives and scholars from 27 countries in the Asia Pacific region and beyond. -xinhua

China advocates, implements security concept for Asia

Wang Guanzhong, deputy chief of the general staff of People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China, speaks during a plenary session at the 13th International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Asia Security Summit: The Shangri-La Dialogue, in Singapore June 1, 2014. [Photo/Agencies]

SINGAPORE -- China advocates and implements a security concept for Asia in real earnest, and stands ready to work with other countries to pursue Asian security that is established, shared by and win-win to all, said Wang Guanzhong, deputy chief of the general staff of People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China.

Experts blast Hagel over 'destabilizing' accusations

"The security of China is closely linked to that of Asia. China is a constructive, proactive and positive force for Asia's peace and security," Wang said in a speech at the 13th Shangri-La Dialogue.

The event is a multilateral forum organized by the London-based think tank International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has recently put forth the security concept for Asia featuring common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security at the fourth Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia.

"This concept has been widely acclaimed by the Asian countries, " the senior military officer said.

Wang said China is a constructive, proactive and positive force for Asia's peace and security because China pursues the path of peaceful development.

He also stressed that China will never contend for or seek hegemony and foreign expansion.
China believes that all countries should have the equal rights to independently choose their own social systems and development paths, said the officer.

"We need to strengthen coordination on the basis of mutual respect, and oppose the attempt by any country to dominate regional security affairs," he said.

The senior military officer highlighted in his speech that China advocates dialogue and cooperation, and stands for coordinated progress of security and development. "China pursues a neighborhood diplomacy that aims at bringing harmony, security and prosperity to its neighbors," Wang said.

"We work to promote the sound interaction between regional economic cooperation and security cooperation, and to maintain both traditional and non-traditional security in a coordinated way. "

He said, in 2013, China contributed "nearly 30 percent of the world's economic growth" and "over 50 percent of the growth in Asia".

Wang said China will continue to promote sustainable security through sustainable development, and work together with other countries for "lasting peace and prosperity in the region".

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Healthy wealth management

THE term “wealth management” came about in the 1990s to describe a complex series of services similar to financial planning. The phrase has also been adopted by accountants, estate planners, lawyers and some finance specialists. These experts cater mostly to high-net-worth clients.

Rather than just perceiving wealth as product of a toil-and-reap process, money can be considered a tool with which you can gain profit

Instead of just spending your money, invest it wisely to get returns.

Unlike professions such as accountancy, taxation or auditing, which involve specialised fields of study where professionals are provided official certifications by governing bodies who supervise the field, wealth managers are yet to require official certifications.

However, the Investment Management Consultants Association (IMCA), the governing body that awards the CIMA certification (Certified Investment Management Analyst), began offering a certification for wealth management in 2007 known as the Certified Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA).

The certification recognises individuals who specialise in the life cycle of wealth – accumulation, preservation and protection and distribution.

They identify and analyse challenges faced by high-networth clients and how to develop specific strategies to minimise taxes, monetise and protect assets, maximise growth and transfer wealth.

What is wealth management?

Wealth management is a system that involves the effort of both experts and clients to design and adopt ideas to manage and grow the clients’ wealth.

Wealth comes in many different forms – hard cash, properties, shares, luxury items, businesses, lands and others.

Managing it, however, involves collective consultative processes that build a specific portfolio for owners. It is a slow and painstaking process that requires the clients’ trust and the consultants’ patience.

Deciding to involve a wealth manager in planning your finances is an important step.

It requires you to entrust the management of your wealth to someone else.

However, leaving your wealth to stagnate or deplete would be less desirable but this is most likely the case for most people.

What wealth managers do is enhance wealth while providing a valued experience for clients. In addition to learning about the many financial areas, those undergoing the CPWA certification study family dynamics.

This includes the study of anthropology and building relationships based on shared experience.

This is particularly important if the wealth involves a few generations of a family.

The difference between wealth managers and financial advisors is that wealth managers are a niche group of people.

They have cultivated specific tools and skills over the years and have a relatively small number of clients.

They can also apply distinctive designs and have a better skill set compared to other more common models.

Wealth as a tool

A common mistake that people make is to see income as a figure to make purchases with.

Having wealth does not necessarily translate into profitability.

Rather than just perceiving wealth as a product of a toiland-reap process, money can be considered a tool with which you can gain profit.

In this circumstance, having professional help will evolve this tool into a working design that will snowball into a self-sustaining model. The process often involves a lifestyle change for clients as well.

Even those who do not fall within the high-net-worth bracket should consider getting consultancy aid since the nature of wealth management allows it to be adaptable as a tool to manage one’s situation even when in deficit.

Behavioural issues

Humans are generally protective of their finances, therefore a new concept such as wealth management may not be easily accepted as it is still largely unexplored and remains unknown to many people.

As a result, finances are normally made stagnant or spent, not giving much return to its owners if not put in a bank or invested with little or no returns.

K. Gunesegaran, financial planner and money coach from Wealth Street Sdn Bhd, was recently a guest on BFM (a Malaysian radio station) and spoke about how to keep emotions in check when dealing with money.

He suggested that adhering to a certain behavioural portfolio regardless of the market’s response and adopting a shared behavioural framework that clients and investors can agree on and adopt in any finance management context offer a good solution to the behavioural issue surrounding wealth management.

Towards a bright future

As Malaysia readies itself for the increase urbanisation of its cultures and communities, the growth of wealth will mean more opportunities for the wealth management field to develop.

By substantiating certification and licensing as well as educating the changing demographics about wealth management, the field will gain more recognition within the finance industry.

Creating a niche market of professionals is also a better option than generalising the industry’s talent.<

For example, a wealth manager who specialises in real estate or the ICT industry would prove to be better than a general wealth manager in certain contexts.

Scouting for a niche specialist wealth manager, especially if the wealth involved is derived from or being invested into a certain industry, would then be a better approach to handling wealth.

However, as a client, the first step is to better understand how you would like to use and invest your money before seeking professional help.

The role of a wealth management consultant

Deciding to involve a wealth manager in planning your finances is an important step. It requires you to entrust the management of your wealth to someone else. However, leaving your wealth to stagnate or deplete would be less desirable but this is most likely the case for most people.

Most banks offer wealth management services catered to highnet-worth individuals. There are also private, stand-alone wealth management firms that not only act as advisors but as executors of clients’ instructions pertaining to their finances.

The biggest challenge for a wealth manager is to understand the financial needs of the clients.

It is important for clients to understand the role of wealth advisors to ensure their credibility and market value.

Experts need to convince middle-income and low-income earners of their skills, as these earners have the potential to become higherincome earners.

This creates business opportunities and expands networks, which is the perception of wealth management that the industry is aiming for.

This is important because their relationship with clients is not usually a short-term one and the advice and information given need to be accepted by clients with trust and understanding.

There is no one way to manage wealth because people’s lifestyles differ and different people require different aspects of their wealth to be managed, including tax management, risk assessments, retirement planning, portfolio management, estate planning, generational legacy, trust fund managements and specialised services for executives and small business owners.

Sources: Money & You, StarSpecial


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Virgin killer was adored

'Unloved' killer was adored

For someone who felt unloved and wanted revenge for that, Elliot Rodger was a much-loved child.

His Malaysian-born mother Ong Li Chin thought the world of her children, her good friend from Penang, Helen Yap said.

Yap, a well-known music producer and composer, knew Ong from their days together in Pulau Tikus on the island.

“Li Chin would always sign off her name as well as her children’s names in Christmas cards,” she said.

Foreign wire reports stated that Ong hurried to try to stop her son from carrying out his death wish. She searched frantically for her son after he posted a 140-page document “My Twisted World – The Story of Elliot Rodger” on Friday.

In it, he had lamented about how women did not like him and wanted to take revenge on them. The 22-year-old also expressed frustration at still being a virgin.

Elliot Rodger in a picture taken from his Facebook page.

He later went out and stabbed three people to death before gunning down three others.

“We were all devastated upon learning about the tragedy. It came as a shock,” Yap added.

Yap also said Rodger would have been a hit with the girls had he grown up in Malaysia.

Although Ong and other schoolmates grew apart over the years, Yap said they had always felt a special attachment towards each other.

She added that they only found out through the media that Elliot had been seeing a therapist from the age of eight.

Another of Ong’s schoolmates, who did not want to be named, said that like most children, Rodger wanted to do things his way.

Ong Li Chin with Elliot’s sister Georgia.

She recalled that the boy had refused to take his shoes off when he was entering a house in Penang.

Rodger, who was born in England and grew up in United States, was not accustomed to the Malaysian culture of being barefoot in the house.

“That is all I remember about him when his mother brought him to Penang for a holiday when he was about 10 or 11,” she said. (According to his own document, Rodger was 13 when he visted Penang).

Ong, now 53, had brought her son and daughter to visit Penang many years ago.

She then posted in a Penang website about her visit to Penang with her children, Elliot and Georgia.

“After being all around the world, having lived in the UK and now in Los Angeles, working alongside famous Hollywood figures – I can truly say you guys over there in Pulau Tikus still have ... my fondest memories,” she wrote.

Contributed by Sira Habibu The Star/Asia News network

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Elliot recounts memories of Penang in last document

Ong raced against time trying to stop son from fatal mistake