The 61st Munich Security Conference was held in Munich, Germany from February 14-16, 2025. This year’s Munich Security Report focused on “Multipolarity.” The conference centered on addressing global security challenges, discussing topics including global governance, climate security, the current international order, and regional conflicts and crises. Fu Ying was invited to attend with a delegation of scholars and participated in the panel discussion “Making Waves: Maritime Tensions in the Indo-Pacific.”
The panel discussion covered topics including the South China Sea situation, China-US relations, China-Philippines relations, and China's regional diplomacy. Other panelists included Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Austria Manalo, Singapore Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen, and US Senator Christopher Andrew Coons. The forum was moderated by Lynn Kuok, Lee Kuan Yew Chair in Southeast Asian Studies at the Brookings Institution.
When asked about the recent escalation of tensions in the South China Sea, Fu Ying stated that while Asian countries all have territorial disputes to varying degrees, they have successfully managed their differences for decades. Most countries want to focus on economic development and cooperation, which is a strong consensus among regional countries. Regarding the South China Sea dispute, she said that China recovered the Spratly Islands in 1946 in accordance with the Cairo Declaration and Potsdam Proclamation, and published the Location Map of the South China Sea Islands in 1948. The South China Sea dispute is not a new issue - it emerged in the 1970s and became more serious in the 1990s. The US previously maintained a neutral stance on the disputes, but now China can see the American shadow behind the claimant countries, which makes China highly vigilant. While Chin’s position on territorial and sovereignty issues is very firm, as a major regional power it needs to take responsibility for regional stability and maintain a degree of restraint. Achieving this balance is not easy, but China has done quite well, which is also an important background for the emergence of the “Asian Miracle.”
When the moderator mentioned the escalating confrontation between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea, Fu Ying said that the Philippines cannot be allowed to occupy Second Thomas Shoal or Sabina Shoal, as this violates the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC). In the declaration all parties are committed not to take actions that would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability, and the Philippines is also a signatory to the DOC. All parties should respect the red lines drawn by the DOC.
Regarding the origin of the Second Thomas Shoal issue, she said that in May 1999, a Philippine military vessel illegally ran aground at Second Thomas Shoal and never left, using ship repairs as an excuse. Pretending to prepare for repairs while actually attempting to occupy the area is a naughty behavior that should not be encouraged or supported.
The South China Sea is one of the busiest shipping lanes, and there has never been any issue with freedom of navigation. This can be seen from the London insurance market rates, which have never increased the premium due to tensions in the South China Sea. The US’s so-called “freedom of navigation” is a kind of operation aimed at challenging what they call “excessive maritime claims” and are unrelated to normal freedom of navigation. China takes professional and standardized countermeasures against close-in military reconnaissance by certain countries.
When asked about China-US relations and China's regional diplomacy, Fu Ying said that while the US has proposed strategic competition with China, China has not accepted defining its relationship with the US as “competition.” China has always advocated for “mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation.” Regarding regional relations, China does not want to play games with the US - playing one country against another is not the Chinese way of thinking.
Other panelists also expressed their views on related issues. When asked about the South China Sea security situation, Ng Eng Hen stated that Singapore highly values stability and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, supports resolving disputes through international law and multilateral mechanisms, and promotes regional cooperation and understanding to reduce the risk of conflict. Philippine Foreign Secretary Manalo said that the Philippines remains willing to resolve disputes through peaceful dialogue to ease tensions. The Philippines will promote resolution of regional disputes in the context of Code of Conduct (COC) negotiations. Coons said that the Biden administration has made great efforts in US-China military control, and the US strategic goal is to avoid direct conflict with China in the Pacific region, manage competition with China through diplomacy and dialogue, and ensure regional peace and prosperity.
During the Q&A session with the audience, when asked why the US has not ratified the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) yet still invokes it, Coons said that UNCLOS is an outstanding convention, and he and many senators actually support its ratification. (Although unsigned) the US still adheres to the tradition of open seas to ensure territorial disputes do not affect free trade.