Press China, American And German Warships To Joint Patrol In The South China Sea

Ilustrasi. (Wikimedia Commons/U.S. Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Mark R. Alvarez)

JAKARTA - The United States on Wednesday, March 3 local time, praised the steps of its NATO ally Germany, which will send its warships to the South China Sea.

German warships are said to be on patrol with US warships in the South China Sea, in order to suppress China, which has many unilateral claims, while at the same time supporting a rules-based international order.

"The United States has a national interest in maintaining peace and stability, respect for international law, lawful trade without barriers, freedom of navigation and other lawful use of the sea," said State Department spokesman Ned Price.

“We welcome Germany's support for a rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific. The international community has an important interest in the preservation of an open maritime order, "he added.

Earlier, the German government said on Tuesday a unit of their frigate would sail to Asia (South China Sea), being the first to re-cross the region after 2002.

German officials say their warships will not pass within the 12 nautical mile limit that China and its rivals claim as territorial waters around contested areas on the international shipping route.

Last month, France said French nuclear-powered submarines and warships were patrolling the South China Sea to underline freedom of navigation.

Separately, a Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman said countries enjoy freedom of navigation and flight on waterways under international law.

"However, they cannot consider it an excuse to undermine the sovereignty and security of the coastal state," he said.

China is known to have established forefront military bases on the artificial islands it built in the South China Sea. Washington has rejected Beijing's disputed claims to offshore resources in large parts of the South China Sea in violation of the law.