China “hopes the United States side takes actual steps to support the resumption of talks between China and the Philippines, and support the efforts of China and ASEAN to maintain regional peace and stability”, Wang said, according to a foreign ministry statement released on Tuesday.
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Kerry met with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, on Monday on the sidelines of a regional gathering of Southeast Asian countries.
Southeast Asian nations failed to agree on maritime disputes in the South China Sea on Sunday after Cambodia blocked any mention to an global court ruling against Beijing in their statement, diplomats said.
Kerry, in a joint press conference with Philippines Foreign Minister Perfecto Yasay, praised the government’s measured response to the verdict by the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague, that favoured Manila in its territorial spat with Beijing.
Richardson said he also reiterated President Obama and Defense Secretary Ash Carter in committing to continuing freedom of navigation operations and fly-overs in the South China Sea.
But before the meeting, China’s closest ASEAN ally Cambodia opposed the proposed wording, throwing the group into disarray.
He said he will urge Duterte to negotiate with Beijing. How do you deal with natural resources? Such laws lack an agreed legitimate mechanism of enforcement, he added.
Wang emphasized earlier that the Philippines’ previous administration brought the case to the tribunal – suggesting an opening with Duterte, who took office in June.
Duterte’s spokesman Ernesto Abella said the president told Kerry that any bilateral talks with China will “begin with the ruling”.
Despite China’s stance, Kerry said the U.S. will try to work going forward to settle the issue through a diplomatic process, “whatever available legal institutions there are to support a process”.
During the foreign ministers’ meeting between China and ASEAN nations (10+1), China and the ASEAN nations issued a joint statement on full and effective implementation of the DOC, which reiterates that disputes should be resolved peacefully through negotiation between the parties directly concerned, said Lu.
This is ASEAN’s first deadlock since 2012, which was also had to do with Cambodia’s opposition to language regarding the South China Sea.
The ad hoc tribunal issued an award on July 12, siding with Manila’s claims and denying China’s long-standing historic rights in the South China Sea.
“The ministers expressed their serious concerns over maritime disputes in the South China Sea”.
“It seems like certain countries from outside the region have got all worked up keeping the fever high”, Wang told reporters.
Japan wants China to accept the decision as final and binding. Short said that the USA has involved itself in the dispute to enforce its notion of freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, and believes that as the world’s only superpower, it is better equipped to counter China than ASEAN.
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Asked how the Chinese responded, Richardson said he thinks China understands the United States will continue operating in the area, and by doing so, it will become less of an issue in the future.
