US Affirms Support For Behavior In South China's Sea

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The United States (US) supports the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to continue negotiating the code of Conduct (CoC) guidelines in the South China Sea.

At a press conference in Jakarta, United States (US) Foreign Minister Anthony Blinken said that the US like surrounding countries was also concerned about China's increasing assertiveness in the South China Sea and the East China Sea.

"We remain committed to upholding the freedom to sail and fly in the South China Sea, an important path of global trade and connectivity," Blinken said.

Previously, ASEAN and China on Thursday (13/7) had agreed to speed up negotiations on behavioral guidelines in the disputed South China Sea.

The commitment was agreed upon by both parties at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting and the Director of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party Wang Yi in Jakarta.

The South China Sea is a strategic waters that are believed to harbor a rich potential energy. To date, China still claims most areas in the South China Sea.

On the other hand, four ASEAN member states, namely Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines also have claims to the waters, and these countries often complain of China's behavior which is said to have violated their territorial claims. ASEAN and China have been trying for years to formulate behavioral guidelines in the South China Sea to avoid disputed inter-state conflicts in the region.

However, the CoC negotiations were stopped for various reasons, including the COVID-19 pandemic.

Indonesia, who is the Chair of ASEAN this year, is determined to intensify CoC negotiations so that it can produce effective and applicable behavioral guidelines in accordance with international law.