US urges Southeast Asia to take strong stand on South China Sea ... and buy American weapons
US diplomat stresses need for region to uphold freedom of nation in disputed waters
A senior US diplomat touting American weapons at a Singapore trade show has called on Southeast Asian nations to take a stronger stand on their interests in the South China Sea.
The call comes less than a fortnight after the United States announced that one of its aircraft carriers would make a port call next month in Vietnam, once America’s foe but now the most vocal regional opponent to Beijing’s vast claims to the contested waters.
In the city state for the five-day Singapore Airshow, which starts on Tuesday, Tina Kaidanow, US acting assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs, said Washington encouraged members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) to uphold freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.
“We are upholding very important internationally based norms like freedom of navigation ... And we encourage the countries in the region to do the same ... and to utilise the collective ability of the [Asean] countries in the region to enforce those norms,” Kaidanow said, without naming China.
“We certainly encourage Asean to be active and to have a voice that’s strong and ... not just to focus on specific issues like freedom of navigation in the South China Sea ... but also counterterrorism issues, all these other regional stability issues that matter ... over the long term.”
