The East Sea (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – The US Department of Defence on July 2voiced its concern about China’s decision to conduct military exercises aroundthe Hoang Sa (Paracel) Archipelago in the East Sea on July 1-5.
In a statement, the department emphasised that conductingmilitary exercises in the East Sea is counterproductive to efforts at easingtensions and maintaining stability.
China’s actions will further destabilise the situation inthe East Sea, it said, adding such exercises also violate China’s commitmentsunder the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea to avoidactivities that would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace andstability.
The military exercises are the latest in a long string of China’sactions to assert unlawful maritime claims and disadvantage its Southeast Asianneighbours in the East Sea, the statement added.
The move stands in contrast to the pledge to not militarisethe East Sea and the US' vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific region, inwhich all nations, large and small, are secure in their sovereignty, free fromcoercion, and able to pursue economic growth consistent with acceptedinternational rules and norms, it said.
The US Department of Defence will continue to monitor thesituation with the expectation that China will reduce its militarisation andcoercion of its neighbours in the East Sea, the statement added. It also callson all parties to exercise restraint and not undertake military activities thatmight aggravate disputes in the East Sea./.
