ASEAN-USA/KERRY Kerry expresses "serious concern" about situation in South China Sea

Record ID: 144878

  • Title: ASEAN-USA/KERRY Kerry expresses "serious concern" about situation in South China Sea
  • Date: 6th August 2015
  • Summary: KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA (AUGUST 6, 2015) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE, JOHN KERRY WALKING INTO ROOM AND STANDING AT PODIUM (SOUNDBITE)(English) U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE, JOHN KERRY SAYING: "I expressed our serious concerns over the developments in the South China Sea including the mass land reclamation and potential militarisati
  • Embargoed: 21st August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA8N1ITLUEHSHFRBYUH44SF8K9I
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Thursday (August 6) he had expressed "serious concern" during a regional meeting over a rise in tension due to territorial disputes between China and other countries in the South China Sea.
    "I expressed our serious concerns over the developments in the South China Sea including the mass land reclamation and potential militarisation of land features. I reiterated America's strong support for freedom of navigation, overflight, and other lawful uses of the sea. These rights I would remind everybody are universal rights and they must be respected by every nation, large and small. To that end I made clear our belief that the claimants to some of these reefs, islands, to some of these areas, should all of them, everyone of them - take concrete steps in order to try to lower the tensions by refraining by further land reclamation, militarisation and construction projects," he said during a news conference after attending the ASEAN Regional Forum annual gathering of foreign ministers and senior officials.
    China claims most of the South China Sea. The Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam also claim parts of the ocean.
    U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Thursday the United States would not accept restrictions on freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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