US Giving Two Ships To Philippines In South China Sea

Meanwhile, Japan and the US seek swift ratification of the TPP and share a determination to stand up for freedom of navigation in disputed areas such as the South China Sea, Mr. Obama said at the start of talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday.

Washington has sided with China’s rivals in the territorial dispute.

“China firmly safeguards navigation freedom of various countries in the South China Sea in accordance with global laws”, Chinese spokesperson Hong said, dismissing allegations that were problems with “navigational freedom” in this region.

Apart from tackling the “vibrant and robust” economic relations, Aquino said he and Abe also reaffirmed the “deepening of the strategic partnership” between the two countries.

Obama reportedly said that the U.S. Navy’s patrol operations near the artificial islands now being built by China in the South China Sea would continue on a routine basis.

Japan and the Philippines agreed to launch negotiations on a bilateral treaty on defense equipment when Aquino visited Japan in June.

But security fears about China’s assertiveness in the South China Sea already were proving an obstacle to economic cooperation, Mr. Heydarian said.

The ongoing South China Sea disputes and Paris attacks are expected to overshadow the usually business-focused APEC summit agenda. We don’t have any plans to conduct surveillance in the South China Sea now but depending on the situation, I think there is a chance we could consider doing so.

The tensions in the region have continued to worsen as China unabatedly constructed artificial islands on the reefs in the contested sea, part of which is part of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

Just as Obama called on China to cease further land reclamation and new construction in the waters of contention, Xi refrained from making a single public comment on the territorial discord instigated by his country’s dredging projects in the South China Sea. The sweeping free trade agreement is at the heart of Obama’s Asia policy, but its prospects for ratification by US lawmakers remain uncertain.

China has also cast aspersions on United States moves to “provoke” tension by supporting its regional allies, Vietnam and the Philippines.

“We are going to be very candid about areas where we have disagreements and differences and frankly objections if we see that the type of universal values that we support are not being respected”, Rhodes told reporters on Thursday at the Apec summit in Manila. He has denied any wrongdoing but has yet to detail the source and goal of the money he received.