Troublemakers are still trying to cloud waters

Troublemakers always seek to stir up trouble, as can be seen from the words and actions of some countries from outside the region that are trying to foment discord in the South China Sea now that China and its neighbors have successfully calmed the waters.

The latest ill-intentioned outsider trying to throw a wrench in those good works is Francois Rivasseau, the European Union’s head of security policy, who told an Australian newspaper last week that European navies could conduct freedom of navigation patrols in the South China Sea.

“Fifty percent of our trade goes through this area. We are interested in stability,” he was quoted as saying.

Which is no doubt factual, but also misleading, since his remark implies that such efforts are needed to secure freedom of navigation and overflight in the region and maintain stability.

Such a move would be as welcome as it is necessary — which is to say not at all.

More than 100,000 vessels, or one-third of global shipping, sail through the South China Sea each year, and not one of them has ever made any complaint about their freedom of navigation being impeded.

And while China and some of its neighbors do have overlapping territorial claims in the South China Sea, they have worked hard to manage their differences and prevent the disputes from getting out of hand. It is a consensus among them that they can resolve the disputes themselves without outside interference.

The EU’s proposal to send its navies to the South China Sea is obviously in answer to the United States’ call for its allies to join its freedom of navigation patrols, as the US wants to ensure its naval vessels are free to go wherever they like.

But European leaders should clean up their own backyard before coming thousands of miles to create a mess over here.

Western countries have a long history of meddling in other people’s business, which rarely ends well for those whose business it actually is; some Middle Eastern countries being a case in point.

By partnering with Washington in the latter’s competition with China in the region, the EU may also hope to bolster its ties with the US, which have been somewhat shaky since Donald Trump entered the White House.

However, it should be aware that freedom of navigation patrols are dispensable, no matter the pretext. Indeed, they only serve to complicate the situation and increase the risk of conflict in the region.