Crisis spawns unity, rival nations scan South China Sea in hunt for MH370

BEIJING: Four countries involved in a bitter dispute over islands in the South China Sea have joined hands with eight other nations to search the missing Malaysia Airline aircraft.

Vietnamese defence ministry said it allowed two Chinese naval ships to enter the country’s waters only due to its commitment for the search. The two countries have been engaged in naval posturing over shipping lines and disputed islands.

Besides Vietnam, China, Malaysia, and Indonesia are involved in the dispute over ownership of islands. Their ships are among 49 naval vessels and dozens of airplanes looking for the aircraft in the South China Sea. But there was some drama as Chinese coast guard "chased away" two Philippines civilian vessels off China’s Nansha Islands. "The moves infringed China’s sovereignty," foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said. Manila protested the move saying the ships were bringing supplies to its marine forces.

China and the US have sent missile frigates and destroyers to join the search, which a western diplomat described as "genuine and extremely high-tech".

"There is a chance to derive the same benefits as in a joint military exercise like studying how foreign navies function under pressure , and the performance of advance equipment of different countries," the diplomat said.

The US has flown a Lockheed Martin P-3 C long-range aircraft and MH-60 helicopters . "The P-3 C and the MH-60 have surface search radar with a range of 5,000 to 10,000 feet that can look down and pick up pretty small objects , even non-metallic ones, and down to basketball size," US navy commander on the USS Blue Ridge William Marks was quoted as saying.

Japan too has offered help. Defence minister Itsunori Onodera said Tokyo would like to dispatch four Air Self-Defence Force transport aircraft to Kuala Lumpur . The missing Malaysian aircraft has left dozens of specialized vessels chasing false leads and poses a serious challenge to experts on aviation, marine and military affairs.

Significantly, China’s People’s Liberation Army has cited the missing plane and the new requirement for sophisticated search equipment to defend the recent 12.2% increase in the country’s military budget.