Lok Sabha Question No. 2869 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-03
Subject: South China Sea
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: CH. MALLA REDDY, ASADUDDIN OWAISI, MUTHAMSETTI SRINIVASA RAO (AVNTHI), RAM KUMAR SHARMA KUSHWAHA, SAUGATA ROY, ANANT KUMAR DATTATREYA HEGDE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2869 TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.08.2016

## SOUTH CHINA SEA

2869.

SHRI CH. MALLA REDDY:

SHRI ASADUDDIN OWAISI:

SHRI MUTHAMSETTI SRINIVASA RAO (AVANTHI):

SHRI RAM KUMAR SHARMA:

PROF. SAUGATA ROY:

SHRI ANANTKUMAR HEGDE:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has gone through the verdict by UN appointed International Court of Arbitration on Chinese claim of South China Sea and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the benefits or otherwise likely to be in India's favour in trade and other international relations;
- (c) the extent to which the Indian economy  especially oil exploration  in  South  China  Sea  with  cooperation  with  other strategic countries will benefit by the said move;
- (d) whether  the  Chinese  Media  has  claimed  India's  support against  the  decision  of  Court  of  Arbitration  and  if  so,  the details thereof;
- (e) whether the matter has been discussed with other Government concerned; and
- (f) if so, the details thereof and the response thereto?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS [GEN. (DR) V.K. SINGH (RETD)]

(a) to (c) The Tribunal constituted under Annex VII to the United Nations  Convention  on  the  Law  of  the  Sea  issued  a  unanimous award in the arbitration instituted by the Republic of the Philippines against the People's Republic of China.  It is a 501 page document divided  into  10  chapters.  It  is  available  in  public  domain  on  the Permanent  Court  of  Arbitration  website  at  https://pca-cpa.org/wpcontent/uploads/sites/ 175/2016/07/PH-CN-20160712-Award.pdf.

South China Sea is a major waterway and over US$ 5 trillion trade  passes  through  the  sea  lanes  in  this  region.  Over  55%  of India's trade passes through South China Sea. Peace and stability in the region is of great significance to India. India undertakes various activities, including cooperation in oil and gas sector, with littoral states of South China Sea.

Government's  position  on  this  issue  and  the  ruling  is  clear. The authority of Annex VII Tribunal and its award is recognized in Part XV of the UNCLOS itself. India's own record in this regard is well  known.  India  supports  freedom  of  navigation  and  overflight, and unimpeded commerce, based on the principles of international law, as reflected notably in the UNCLOS. India believes that States should resolve disputes through peaceful means without threat or use of force and exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that  could  complicate  or  escalate  disputes  affecting  peace  and stability. As a State Party to the UNCLOS, India urges all parties to show  utmost  respect  for  the  UNCLOS,  which  establishes  the international legal order of the seas and oceans.

(d) to (g) In view of the significance of this matter for international peace and stability, it has figured in various bilateral and multilateral meetings, most recently in the discussions between Raksha Mantri and the visiting Japanese Defence Minister and at the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit, East Asia Summit (EAS)  Foreign  Ministers'  Meeting,  ASEAN-India  Foreign  Ministers' Meeting  and  the  ASEAN  Regional  Forum.  The  statements  issued after these meetings have highlighted the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security and freedom of navigation and over-flight in the South China Sea. They have also emphasised the critical  importance  of  confidence  building  measures,  of  refraining from the  use  or  threat  of  force,  and  of  disputes  being  resolved  in accordance with principles of international law, in particular the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

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