“If we are truly concerned about China’s actions in the South China Sea for example, the Senate should help strengthen our case by approving the law of the sea convention”, Obama said.
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China has repeatedly said it rejects arbitration.
“The Philippines” attempt to define Taiping Island as a “reef’ exposes that the goal of its arbitration case is to try to negate China’s sovereignty and related rights over the Spratly Islands”, China’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has welcomed the intention of newly-elected President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte to settle territorial disputes in the South China Sea.
“When he said he is committed to agreements we have entered into… he does not discount the possibility that in the future, if it is determined that there is a need to further negotiate on these agreements on the basis of pursuing the mutual interest of both countries, we should not hesitate to do so”, Yasay said. The United States says the patrols are to protect freedom of navigation.
China’s timeframe for declaring a South China Sea ADIZ – if it happens at all – remains unclear.
“We hope the Philippine’s new government can honor their commitments and return to dialogue with China to properly handle the disputes so as to contribute to the healthy and stable development of bilateral relations”, the spokesperson added.
China has slammed USA military build-up in the South China Sea, saying it is Washington, and not Beijing, which is truly militarizing the disputed waters by conducting patrols and “freedom of navigation” operations there.
Duterte on Tuesday described Xi as “a great president”, in a hint that frosty relations between the Asian neighbors could soon warm.
The two sides will work to push forward a proper settlement of the issue, Vice-Foreign Minister Zheng Zeguang told reporters at a warming-up forum for the dialogue.
However, China claims the entire South China Sea, where also Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims to the waters.
The report came ahead of next week’s US-China annual Strategic and Economic Dialogue in Beijing on June 6 and 7 in which US Secretary of State John Kerry would take part.
China has noted the American partnership with the Philippines with concern and encouraged the U.S.to remain neutral in South China Sea territorial disputes.
Last month, Beijing demanded an end to USA surveillance near China after two Chinese fighter jets carried out what the Pentagon said was an “unsafe” intercept of a US military reconnaissance aircraft over the South China Sea.
The rival claimants have been fretting over what they see as China’s expansionism as it rushes to exert sovereignty over the vital waterway, a major global shipping route believed to have large oil and gas reserves and through which about US$ 5 trillion in trade passes each year.
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If Washington could stop provocative activity against China’s sovereignty and security interests, it will certainly play a constructive role in keeping peace and stability in the region, and cool the issue, he added.
