US commander pledges to protect navigation freedom in East Sea
Commander of the US Pacific Fleet Admiral Scott Swift has reiterated the US’s commitment to protect freedom of navigation in the Asian-Pacific region, including the East Sea.
Commander of the US Pacific Fleet Admiral Scott Swift (Source: navytimes.com)
Commander of the US Pacific Fleet Admiral Scott Swift has reiterated the US’s commitment to protect freedom of navigation in the Asian-Pacific region, including the East Sea.
Addressing the Pacific 2015 Maritime conference opened in Sydney, Australia, on October 6, the Admiral said the US will continually defend and protect freedom of the seas through routine presence, exercise with allies and partners, and freedom of navigation operations.
He pointed out that some countries continue to impose superfluous warnings and restrictions on freedom of the seas in their exclusive economic zones and claim territorial water rights that are inconsistent with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
“This trend is particularly egregious in contested waters,” he said, warning if bullying behaviour at sea is not confronted, it will spread and become a “friction point” on land.
The biennial Pacific conference draws navy chiefs from over 50 countries as well as government and industry delegations across the world.-VNA
The territorial dispute in the East Sea and terrorism are the two key issues that regional leaders must keep a watchful eye on, said Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
ASEAN Foreign Ministers hope senior officials of countries would increase consultation to conclude a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) as soon as possible.
The 48th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meetingin Kuala Lumpur issued a joint communiqué at its conclusion on August 6, voicing serious concerns over recent and ongoing developments in the East Sea.
Leading experts and scholars from US universities and institutes came together at a workshop in Washington last weekend to discuss the convergence of marine science and geopolitics in the East Sea.
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Commander of the US Pacific Fleet Admiral Scott Swift (Source: navytimes.com)
