US President Joe Biden speaks at the 10th Summit between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the US in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on November 12, 2022. Photo: Kyodo/VNA

“He underscored that freedom of navigation and overflight must be respected in the East China Sea and South China Sea, and that all disputes must be resolved peacefully and in accordance with international law,” according to the White House’s readout of Biden’s statement delivered at the 17th East Asia Summit (EAS) which closed on Sunday in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Attending the EAS were leaders of the 10 ASEAN member countries and a number of countries including Australia, China, India, Japan, Russia, the Republic of Korea, and the United States.