China, Asean must end island rows ‘swiftly,’ says top US envoy

From the Daily Tribune (Sep 29): China, Asean must end island rows ‘swiftly,’ says top US envoy

US Secretary of State John Kerry has urged China and its Asian neighbors to resolve territorial disputes over the South China sea as swiftly as possible.

“Your region is home to the world’s busiest ports and the most critical sea lanes. So stability where you live matters deeply to prosperity where we live,” Kerry told a meeting with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) ministers in New York.

“That’s one of the reasons the United States is so committed to maritime security, to the freedom of navigation on the seas, and to resolving the disputes with respect to territory and achieving a code of conduct,” he said.

“This is going to require respect for international law and unimpeded lawful commerce in the South China Sea.”

The top US diplomat urged the members of the Asean to “move as swiftly as possible to reach a binding code of conduct for addressing disputes, without threats, without coercion and without use of force.”

Earlier this month, Beijing warned the United States not to support its neighbors’ claims to disputed islands in the East and South China Seas and to stay out of the rows.

Washington has always refused to take sides, but is keen to see its Asian partners adopt a code of conduct for navigation in some of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.

Sino-Japanese ties have soured dramatically since Tokyo nationalized some of the Senkaku islands, which Beijing claims and calls the Diaoyus, in the East China Sea a year ago.

China also claims almost all of the South China Sea including waters close to its neighbors’ coasts, and tensions with the Philippines and Vietnam have intensified in recent years.

Meanwhile in Manila, Malacañang has strongly denied that US President Barack Obama will have a closed-door meeting with President Aquino on Oct. 12 to tell the latter to drop the Philippine claim on Scarborough (Panatag) Shoal.

Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras issued the strong denial, saying those who spread the rumors only want to “rock the boat” about the very warm relations between the Philippines and the US.

“They will definitely not ask us to drop Scarborough,” Almendras told the Tribune in a text message. The Philippines will be the US president’s last stop during his Southeast Asian visit beginning Oct. 6.

Obama will travel to Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia and the Philippines from October 6-12 as part of his ongoing commitment to increase US political, economic and security engagement with the Asia Pacific, the official statement of US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel stated.

Obama will first attend the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Economic Leaders in Bali, Indonesia then the US-Asean Summit and the East Asia Summit (EAS) in Brunei, and meet with Prime Minister Najib in Malaysia.

Almendras said Malacañang does not have time to think about growing speculations on the real intention of the US president for visiting the Philippines.

“Preparations are in full swing. US support will be consistent,” the Cabinet secretary added.

The Department of Public Works and Highways has been tasked to secure the roads where Obama and his team will pass by while the Department of Foreign Affairs is in charge of the protocol for the Oct. 11 and 12 visit of Obama.

http://tribune.net.ph/index.php/headlines/item/19650-china-asean-must-end-island-rows-swiftly-says-top-us-envoy