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US Congress may
debate Asian seas
CHOPPY WATERS: The political process is to call
for the protection of navigation rights in disputed eastern Asian waters, amid
growing US concern over China¡¦s ambitions
By William Lowther / Staff reporter in Washington
A new bill reaffirming ¡§strong support¡¨ for the peaceful resolution of maritime
territorial disputes in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait was introduced
to the US Congress earlier this month. It calls on US Secretary of State Hillary
Rodham Clinton to continue efforts to solve the disputes peacefully.
The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and may be
taken up when Congress returns from its summer recess in September.
Co-sponsored by the non-voting Delegate from American Samoa Eni Faleomavaega, a
Democrat, the bill is cosponsored by Florida Republican Ileana Ros-Lehtinen,
chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
¡§China continues to coerce and intimidate its neighbors and I have grave
concerns about China¡¦s expansive territorial claims, which have no basis in
international law,¡¨ Faleomavaega said.
He has called on China to work ¡§collaboratively and diplomatically¡¨ to resolve
disputes without coercion, threat or intimidation and above all ¡§without the use
of force.¡¨ The bill says that the South China Sea contains vital commercial
shipping lanes and provides a ¡§maritime lifeline¡¨ to Taiwan, Japan and South
Korea.
¡§The US has a national economic and security interest in maintaining peace,
stability and prosperity in East Asia and ensuring that no party threatens or
uses force unilaterally to assert maritime territorial claims,¡¨ the bill says.
It goes on to condemn the use of force by naval, maritime security and fishing
vessels from China
¡§Overt threats and gunboat diplomacy are not constructive means for settling
these outstanding disputes,¡¨ the bill says. It supports diplomatic efforts by
Taiwan, Japan and South Korea ¡X along with ASEAN ¡X to ¡§amiably and fairly¡¨
resolve disputes.
The bill calls on the administration of President Barack Obama to continue
operations by US armed forces in support of ensuring freedom of navigation
rights in international waters as well as air space in the South China Sea, the
East China Sea, the Taiwan Strait and the Yellow Sea.
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