US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and the Pacific Daniel Kritenbrink talks to the press after attending the 35th US-ASEAN Dialogue and Senior Officials Meeting of countries participating in the East Asia Summit on March 7-8 in Indonesia. Photo: VNA

Kritenbrink said that Washington supports freedom of navigation and aviation, lawful commerce, and peaceful settlement of disputes in the South China Sea.

He said the claims of countries must be based on international law. Any dispute or overlapping claims at sea should be resolved peacefully and in accordance with international law and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC).

According to Kritenbrink, the US had frank discussions and clearly expressed its views at the 35th US-ASEAN Dialogue and Senior Officials Meeting of countries participating in the East Asia Summit on Tuesday and Wednesday at the ASEAN Secretariat’s headquarters in Indonesia.