Malaysia and ASEAN Stand Up to Obama’s Threats over South China Sea

The ASEAN-Plus meeting of defense ministers fell apart on Wednesday, as Malaysia, chairing the meeting in Kuala Lumpur, and most of the ASEAN nations, stood up against Obama’s war-mongering thug tactics (through his Secretary of Defense Ash Carter), refusing to bend to Carter’s demand that the final communique include US-approved wording on the South China Sea.

The Information Office of China’s Ministry of National Defense said that “China had reached a consensus with Malaysia and other ASEAN countries on the content” of the proposed Joint Communique, drafted by host country Malaysia — meaning they had found a way to address the South China Sea that was acceptable to the Philippines and Vietnam (since all ASEAN decisions are done by consensus), or that the issue would be left out altogether. However, Carter rejected the draft, and demanded (with Japanese and Australian support, press reports indicate) that Malaysia present a new draft condemning China for its activities in the South China Sea. Malaysia and at least most of ASEAN refused — far more interested in the real problem of ISIS and terrorism and cooperation with China on both defense and economic development. As a result, there was no final communique issued at all.

The Chinese Defense Ministry said that “some individual countries outside the region ignored the existing consensus and attempted to forcefully add into the declaration contents not discussed during the meeting. Such behavior totally deviated the purposes and principles of the ADMM-Plus (ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting Plus) and damaged the central and dominating role of ASEAN in the mechanism.”

Of course, the US blamed China for the meeting’s collapse. They claimed that it was China’s reclamation activities that are responsible for the disputes and that it was China had used it’s economic clout to armtwist the ASEAN nations.

The fact that it was Malaysia which led the fight against the US war policy is very significant. Malayisa also has claims in the South China Sea, and has expressed its concern about China’s claim to the entire area. Also, Prime Minister Najib is in deep trouble over a huge corruption charge over a state investment fund which is missing billions of dollars, and it was believed by many that Najib would do Obama’s bidding to sustain US support in the crisis.

But he did not. We can expect some nasty operations against Malaysia as a result of their courage in defending peace and development.

Ash Carter also took the opportunity of meeting with Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan at the forum in Kuala Lumpur to bluster, according to Carter’s aide, that “the United States will continue to fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows,” and that “the South China Sea would not be an exception.” This again demonstrates that Obama is simply lying, again, in saying the US takes no position on the issue of sovereignty over the South China Sea, since the US destroyer’s breach of the 12-mile limit around the Chinese islands on Oct. 27 clearly shows they have taken a position against China, and are threatening war.