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A meeting of the US Senate
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(VOVworld) – The US Senate passed a resolution on Tuesday reaffirming US strong support for resolving disputes over territory, sovereignty, and marine jurisdiction rights in the Asian-Pacific region by peaceful means. The resolution stated that the US Senate condemns all coercive actions or means of force to implement questionable claims over sovereignty, territorial waters, any change of status in the East Sea and East China Sea. The resolution urged all parties to restrain from activities that could complicate or escalate disputes. The US Senate strongly supports the adoption of a binding Code of Conduct between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China and called for international support for ASEAN’s efforts. The resolution stressed that the US also supports a collaborative diplomatic process to resolve territorial disputes to maintain peace and security, obey the international law, and protect legal trade activities as well as maritime and aviation freedom. The resolution called on the US army to maintain its activities in the West Pacific. The Senate stressed the importance of regional institutions such as ASEAN and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC) in promoting peace, security, and economic growth.
The US Senate emphasized that the US has a national interest in matters of maritime and aviation freedom in the Asia-Pacific region. The resolution underlined that many dangerous incidents had happened in the region in recent years, including the Chinese ships’ cutting of survey cable of Vietnamese seismic survey ships, the Chinese blockade of the Scarborough Shoal area which the Philippines, Taiwan of China and China all claim, and declaring the “U-Shaped Line”, or nine-dash line, as its national border. The Senate expressed its concerns over China’s intention to develop a city and set up a military base there. The resolution called on all parties to take peaceful measures to prevent and resolve problems.