Obama warns China vs intimidation in sea dispute

WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama warned China on Thursday against using force or intimidation in its tense maritime disputes with its neighbors and urged a peaceful resolution.

Obama, meeting Chinese officials who were in Washington for wide-ranging talks, “urged China to manage its maritime disputes with its neighbors peacefully, without the use of intimidation or coercion,” a White House statement said.

Tensions have steadily risen between China and Japan, which accuses its growing neighbor of sending an increasing number of ships to exert its claim over unpopulated islands managed by Tokyo in the East China Sea.

The Philippines and Vietnam have also charged that China has used assertive means to exert claims in the conflict-riven South China Sea, although tensions have abated slightly with Hanoi in recent weeks.

State Councilor Yang Jiechi, addressing a press event at the end of the two days of talks, said that China explained its “principled position” on the East China Sea and South China Sea.

China “expressed the hope that the United States will support the efforts of the parties concerned to properly handle and resolve the relevant disputes through dialogue,” Yang told a press event.

“China is the firmest promoter of the freedom of navigation in all oceans around the world, and China will continue to firmly implement this policy,” he said.

The United States since 2010 has repeatedly been outspoken over the South China Sea, saying that it has a national interest in ensuring freedom of navigation but does not take sides on individual claims.

With an eye on the tensions, the United States has boosted military cooperation with Japan and the Philippines - which are both treaty-bound allies - as well as with former war adversary Vietnam.

Meanwhile, Belgium voiced its full support for the Philippines’ legal and peaceful approach to resolving its maritime disputes with neighboring countries, particularly China.

This was relayed to Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario by his counterpart Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and European Affairs Didier Reynders during a meeting in Brussels last Wednesday.

The officials exchanged views on global political and economic developments, including the disputes over the West Philippine Sea and the South China Sea as  well as the upcoming 9th World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference in December.

The signing of the Philippines-Belgium Joint Plan of Action (JPA) highlighted the meeting.

The Joint Plan of Action is the first comprehensive agreement between the Philippines and Belgium in their 67 years of diplomatic relations. This is also the first agreement of its kind Belgium concluded with a member-state of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The agreement serves as blueprint for strategic bilateral cooperation, particularly on trade and investment, immigration, consular matters and law enforcement. The agreement also seeks to foster sports and cultural exchange. The Joint Plan of Action also emphasizes the Philippines and Belgium’s commitment to work together on common interests in various multilateral forums such as the UN and the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM).

Del Rosario, during the meeting, also congratulated Belgium for the coming coronation of Crown Prince Philippe as the new King.

He also informed his counterpart about the Philippines’ economic achievement as well as the progress of the peace talks in Mindanao with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. 

Del Rosario and Reynders agreed to work for the sending of a high-level Belgian economic mission to the Philippines in 2015 to be led by a member of the Belgian royal family.