MANILA, (APP/AFP): US Secretary of State John Kerry on
Wednesday said Washington wanted to avoid “confrontation” in the South China Sea, after an international tribunal rejected Beijing’s claims to most of the waters.
America’s top diplomat said the United States wanted China and the
Philippines to engage in talks and “confidence-building measures”.
Kerry made these remarks after meeting with Philippine Foreign
Secretary Perfecto Yasay in Manila where they discussed the Southeast Asian nation’s sweeping victory in the arbitration case against China.
“The decision itself is a binding decision but we’re not trying to
create a confrontation. We are trying to create a solution mindful of the rights of people established under the law,” Kerry said.
A tribunal based in The Hague this month ruled that China’s claim to
most of the strategic waterway was inconsistent with international law. The decision angered Beijing, which vowed to ignore the ruling.
But Kerry said the United States saw an “opportunity” for claimants
to peacefully resolve the row.
“We hope to see a process that will narrow the geographic scope of
the maritime disputes, set standards for behaviour in contested areas, lead to mutually acceptable solutions, perhaps even a series of confidence-building steps,” he said.
Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have claims to the South
China Sea, a vital waterway through which $5 trillion in annual trade passes. It is also believed to sit atop vast reserves of oil and gas.
Kerry, who arrived in Manila on Tuesday after attending a regional
summit in Laos, met with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte after Yasay.
On Tuesday, Kerry said he would encourage Duterte, who assumed office
on June 30, to engage in dialogue and “turn the page” with China.
International News
Kerry: US avoiding ‘confrontation’ in sea row
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