(VOVworld) - US Secretary of State John Kerry, for the first time, has voiced his deep concern over China’s illegal deployment of an oil rig and escort ships to Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone.
Secretary John Kerry protested against China's illegal actions in the East Sea (Photo:AP)
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Speaking to the press prior to the 3rd US-Singapore Strategic Dialogue in Washington, Kerry underscored that China’s provocative actions in Hoang Sa are of great concern to the US and all countries engaged in maritime navigation and transportation in the East Sea and the East China Sea. He said: “We’re particularly concerned all nations that are engaged in navigation and traffic within the East Sea, deeply concerned about this aggressive act. We want to see a code of conduct, we want to see this revolved peacefully, through the law of the sea, through arbitration, through any other means, but not direct confrontation and aggressive actions.”
Earlier, US officials expressed their concern about China’s provocation in the East Sea. Last Saturday, Senate President Pro Tempore Patrick Leahy, Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Robert Menendez, Senator John McCain, and other senators issued a statement describing China’s move as worrisome. They urged the US Senate to adopt a resolution to affirm US government support for free navigation in the Asia-Pacific region and diplomatic solutions to the current territorial and sea-related disputes.
British Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Hugo Swire
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The British government said it supported the EU’s statement on tensions in the East Sea and mentioned it to the Chinese government. In a statement posted on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Hugo Swire said that China’s illegal placement of drilling rig Haiyang 981 in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf escalated tensions in the East Sea. The UK supports the EU’s May 8th statement and mentioned this to the Chinese government at the ministerial level and called on all sides to exercise restraint and seek ways to ease tensions.