US secretary of state John Kerry called on Wednesday on China and the Philippines to abide by an international tribunal’s decision on the disputed South China Sea and said there was no military solution to the problem.

 Kerry’s remarks, made in a visit to India, came ahead of a G20 summit in China on Sunday and Monday that could be overshadowed by arguments over everything from territorial disputes to protectionism by China, diplomats say.

 An arbitration court in The Hague ruled in July that China did not have historic rights to the South China Sea. China dismissed the case lodged by the Philippines and rejected the ruling.

 ‘The United States continues to call on China and the Philippines to abide by the tribunal’s recent decision which is final and legally binding on both parties,’ Kerry told a gathering of students in New Delhi.

 China claims most of the South China Sea, through which more than $5 trillion of trade moves annually. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam have rival claims.

 China has vowed to take all measures needed to protect its sovereignty over the South China Sea and says its actions there, which have included land reclamation and construction of air fields and docks on reefs, are peaceful.

 China has blamed the United States and its allies in the region, such as Japan and Australia, for stoking tension.

 The United States and Japan have no territorial claims in the South China Sea and say their priority is freedom of navigation.

 Kerry said the United States supported diplomatic efforts to resolve territorial disputes to which there was ‘no military solution’.

 ‘We are also interested in not fanning the flames of conflict but rather trying to encourage the parties to resolve their disputes and claims through the legal process and through diplomacy,’ Kerry said.</s>SINGAPORE: Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang warned on Tuesday there would be no winners in any armed conflict sparked by territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

Quang, who is on a state visit to Singapore, told a forum that recent developments there were threatening regional security.

The Vietnamese leader did not mention any country but there is growing unease over China’s actions.

China claims most of the South China Sea. It has reclaimed reefs and built airstrips capable of hosting military equipment, sparking anger from competing claimants led by Vietnam and the Philippines.

“The South China Sea, located at the heart of Southeast Asia, not only brings about many important benefits to nations in the region but it is also a vital route to maritime and air transport of the world,” Quang said.

But “recent worrying developments” there “have had a negative impact on the security environment of the region, especially maritime security and safety, freedom of navigation and overflight.”

“And should we allow instability to take place, especially in the case of armed conflicts, there will be neither winners or losers but rather all will lose,” he warned.

Quang was speaking to diplomats, academics and students at a forum organized by the Iseas Yusof Ishak Institute.

Four Southeast Asian states—Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam—as well as Taiwan have competing claims in the sea.

Vietnam has been among the most vocal critics of China’s blanket territorial claims. In 2014 China moved a controversial oil rig into contested territory, prompting riots in Vietnam.

China’s activities in the sea have also drawn criticism from the United States, which says it seeks to ensure freedom of navigation in the waterway through which $5 trillion in annual global trade passes.

The sea row has also driven a wedge between members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which has failed to forge a unified front against Beijing’s actions.

On July 12, the Philippines won a case against China at a UN-backed tribunal in The Hague which rejected Beijing’s historical claims to most of the sea.

China boycotted the hearing and has refused to recognize the ruling.</s>Kerry says united with allies over South China Sea

The United States is united with its allies in upholding freedom of navigation rights in the South China Sea following a tribunal's decision on the contested waters, Secretary of State John Kerry said Wednesday.

Speaking on a visit to New Delhi, Kerry called on China and the Philippines to abide by the arbitration tribunal's recent decision, saying "there is no military solution" to the dispute.

Kerry said the United States itself had no claim over the waters, that are crucial to international shipping, but would stand up for freedom of navigation rights.

"We have made it clear that we will stand up for our rights and we will stand with our allies," he said, referring to navigation and the rule of law.

"US and other countries are united in an alliance that respects freedom of navigation, the norms and standards of the laws of sea and rule of law with respect to access to the high seas," he said while speaking to engineering students at a college in Delhi.

Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea despite partial counter-claims from the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Taiwan. In recent months it has built massive structures including radar systems and an airstrip over reefs and outcrops.

But the UN-backed tribunal, ruling on a case brought by the Philippines, found last month there was no legal basis for China's claims.

The US has said it will continue naval patrols near reefs and outcrops claimed by China to assert the principle of freedom of navigation, a move which has angered Beijing.

"The US continues to call upon China and Philippines to abide by the tribunal's decision. It's final and legally binding on both parties," Kerry said.

The comments come ahead of the G20 leaders' meeting in China starting on Sunday that could see tensions over territorial disputes.

Kerry is due to hold talks later Wednesday with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the two nations forge closer trade and security ties, in part to check concerns over China's growing assertiveness in the region.</s>NEW DELHI

 Holding that there lay no military solution to the South China Sea problem, US Secretary of State John Kerry today asked China and the Philippines to abide by the recent ruling of an international tribunal on the dispute.

 An enormous amount of energy has been spent in establishing the international order after the World War II and it should be respected, he said.

 Citing the resolution of maritime boundary dispute between Bangladesh and India, Kerry said the world can learn from India to abide by international tribunals’ orders.

 “India’s decision to accept an international tribunal judgement regarding its maritime border with Bangladesh actually stands apart. This is the model to help potentially dangerous disputes in different danger spots…These can be resolved peacefully, including the South China Sea (dispute),” he said at IIT Delhi.

 Kerry said that states should resolve disputes through peaceful means, and exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that could complicate or escalate disputes.

 China has been getting increasingly assertive in South China Sea notwithstanding the verdict of an arbitration court in The Hague that China had no historical title over the South China Sea.

 “The United States continues to call on China and the Philippines to abide by the tribunal’s recent decision which is final and legally binding on both parties,” Kerry said.

 China claims most of the South China Sea, through which more than USD 5 trillion of trade moves annually. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam have challenged China’s claim. Replying to questions, Kerry said the US supported diplomatic efforts to resolve territorial disputes to which there was “no military solution”.

 “We are also interested in not fanning the flames of conflict but rather trying to encourage the parties to resolve their disputes and claims through the legal process and through diplomacy,” he said. He said even for an instant, one should not underestimate the importance of the world order.

 “We have spent enormous energy in the aftermath of World War 11 in order to (build it). It has served us well. It has helped us bring an end to the cold war and it has helped us set on a new course in the 21st century.

So it is important to us to respect the international order, to show respect for international law and to support regional stability and prosperity,” Kerry said.</s>With tensions high in the disputed South China Sea, it would seem an odd moment for Beijing to pick another territorial fight with a neighbor.

Still, China chose to send more ships near Japanese-administered islets in the East China Sea in recent months, triggering a flurry of protests from Tokyo. That's even as President Xi Jinping prepares to host global leaders including Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Hangzhou this weekend.

The strains come amid other frictions in North Asia, including Chinese criticism of South Korean President Park Geun-hye's plan to deploy a U.S. missile shield in her country. That points to a potentially chilly Group of 20 summit and clouds the prospects for any Xi-Abe or Xi-Park sit down.

One of the reasons China may be escalating its activity in the East China Sea is to warn Japan against getting involved in the South China Sea spat. While not a claimant in those waters, Japan has drawn China's ire for supporting Southeast Asian nations, through means such as providing patrol boats to the Philippines.

"China is certainly ratcheting up tensions over the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands," said Chris Hughes, professor of international politics and Japanese studies at the University of Warwick in the U.K., using the Japanese and Chinese names for the East China Sea islets.

"There clearly is a domestic political need in China to demonstrate strength on territorial issues, especially after the Permanent Court of Arbitration's ruling in July, and this applies equally to Japan in the East China Sea as well as to the South China Sea," he said.

The arbitration court in the Hague invalidated most of China's claims in the South China Sea in its decision last month. Japan has repeatedly urged all parties to abide by the ruling.

On August 23, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Japan had "taken a series of negative moves" in terms of its relationship with China, "especially when it keeps hyping up the South China Sea issue."

There is a "possibility" that Japan may raise the territorial issues at the G-20 "to stir trouble," according to a commentary published Tuesday in China's state-run Global Times. It urged Japan to "act in tune with the theme of the summit instead of causing trouble."

The latest tensions have not dented Chinese tourism to Japan -- the 731,400 visitors in July were a monthly record -- or impacted trade. But they further complicate ties just as Asia's two biggest economies face headwinds, as well as adding to the risk of a physical clash.

Sino-Japanese ties hit a particularly icy patch in 2012 when Japan nationalized three of the East China Sea islands, and China announced an air defense identification zone over the waters in late 2013. The first time Abe and Xi met formally, at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Beijing in late 2014, it proved a brief and frosty affair.

Since then, however, tensions over the area had receded somewhat as China focused on asserting its claims in the South China Sea, through which some of the world's busiest shipping lanes run.

China's actions also represent a fresh effort to gain the advantage in the East China Sea, according to Jia Qingguo, a member of the foreign affairs standing committee of China's top political advisory body.

"Previously, the pattern was they took action and we made a response; they threw a problem at us and we had a crack at it," said Jia, who is also a professor at Peking University. "Now China is seeking to take the initiative and seize the upper hand. We make an opening gambit and they try to respond," he said.

"They haven't got used to the new situation yet, but there is not much they can do but gradually adapt to it."

After a meeting with his Japanese and South Korean counterparts last Wednesday in Tokyo, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China is considering Japan's request for a summit on the G-20 sidelines, but warned the countries needed a "good atmosphere" for that to occur. China values Abe's "positive attitude" and the Japanese government's "support" for the Hangzhou G-20, Wang said.

Japan repeatedly protested the almost daily incursions by Chinese vessels into what it considers its territorial waters. Its Coast Guard released video footage showing more than 200 Chinese fishing boats were accompanied by 28 government ships in the area during the August 5-9 period -- the largest group since September 2012.

On August 18, six Chinese naval ships conducted live-fire drills in the Sea of Japan. The countries have yet to put into force a maritime and aerial communications system to prevent unintended clashes, although it has been under discussion for some time.

"At every step they take in the elevation ladder, Japanese frustration and anxiety grows," said Alessio Patalano, a senior lecturer in war studies at King's College London. "It is undeniable that mutual perceptions are deteriorating and the risk of unintended consequences continues to mount."

As it faces off against China, Japan plans to develop a longer range land-based anti-ship missile that could reach the edge of the disputed islands, with the Defense Ministry seeking funding in a budget request to be submitted soon, according to the Yomiuri newspaper.

While Abe has appeared keen to meet again with Xi, there is a limit to what he can tolerate, given the need to avoid appearing weak at home. He is riding high in opinion polls after an appearance dressed as Super Mario at the Rio Olympics closing ceremony, but a poll this week showed a majority of the public want a stronger stance on China.

While the foreign ministers were talking in Tokyo, Shotaro Yachi, Japan's National Security Council chief and an aide to Abe, was in Beijing, suggesting the door to a summit is open. Yachi handed Premier Li Keqiang a letter from Abe expressing a desire to stabilize ties, according to China's foreign ministry, while Li urged Japan to use the coming year -- the 45th anniversary of the normalization of ties -- to improve relations.

Though Chinese activity in the East China Sea has leveled off in recent days, Xi has reason to continue to want to appear strong at home: Next year will see a mid-term power transition where the majority of the ruling Politburo and its supreme Standing Committee are set to be replaced. Xi's term runs for a further five years.

The current situation is "a combination of Japan's less apologetic approach and the sensitive political situation during the Chinese leadership transition," said Tsuneo Watanabe, a senior fellow at the Tokyo Foundation.

"It won't be easy to create a reconciliatory atmosphere until the Chinese leadership is consolidated after summer 2017."</s>MANILA -- China must cease all provocations in the South China Sea before the Philippines will agree to bilateral talks, Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Perfecto Yasay said here during a two-day media forum that began Monday.

An international tribunal at The Hague awarded a sweeping victory to Manila in July over its challenge to Beijing's maritime claims in the South China Sea, but China has refused to abide by the ruling.

The Philippines "will respect the decision, and we urge China also to respect the decision," Yasay said, signaling the Manila will not agree to ignore the ruling in order to hold talks with China.

He urged the establishment of confidence-building measures before any negotiations begin. "We would like to see, as long as we agree to continue talking, [that] nobody will take any provocative actions," he said.

Yasay was especially adamant that China refrain from reclamation work on the Scarborough Shoal in order for any bilateral discussion to occur. He said the U.S. also considers that a line that should not be crossed.

As part of trust-building efforts, the Philippines hopes China will lift its current blockade on Filipino fishermen operating in waters around the shoal, he said.

"It is important for us to give China that opportunity to save face," Yasay said of bilateral talks. He stressed that the best way to do this was by bolstering the countries ties with regard to economy, trade, tourism and other fields.

"Our dispute with China in respect to the South China Sea is a very small aspect of our relationship," Yasay said. He said the Philippines can still foster and promote its relations with China, which would greatly contribute to global peace and stability.

The Hague tribunal ruled that China had no legal basis to build islands in the South China Sea or to block Filipino fishermen from the waters. Beijing refuses to respect the decision and continues to bar fishing operations near the Scarborough Shoal.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who took office at the end of June, is focused on securing fishing rights for Filipinos in the waters. He hopes bilateral talks with China will help break the current stalemate.

He is laying the groundwork for negotiations, such as sending former President Fidel Ramos as a special envoy to Hong Kong. Duterte said last week that bilateral talks could happen "within the year."</s>NEW DELHI

 Holding that there lay no military solution to the South China Sea problem, US Secretary of State John Kerry today asked China and the Philippines to abide by the recent ruling of an international tribunal on the dispute.

 An enormous amount of energy has been spent in establishing the international order after the World War II and it should be respected, he said.

 Citing the resolution of maritime boundary dispute between Bangladesh and India, Kerry said the world can learn from India to abide by international tribunals’ orders.

 “India’s decision to accept an international tribunal judgement regarding its maritime border with Bangladesh actually stands apart. This is the model to help potentially dangerous disputes in different danger spots…These can be resolved peacefully, including the South China Sea (dispute),” he said at IIT Delhi.

 Kerry said that states should resolve disputes through peaceful means, and exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that could complicate or escalate disputes.

 China has been getting increasingly assertive in South China Sea notwithstanding the verdict of an arbitration court in The Hague that China had no historical title over the South China Sea.

 “The United States continues to call on China and the Philippines to abide by the tribunal’s recent decision which is final and legally binding on both parties,” Kerry said.

 China claims most of the South China Sea, through which more than USD 5 trillion of trade moves annually. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam have challenged China’s claim. Replying to questions, Kerry said the US supported diplomatic efforts to resolve territorial disputes to which there was “no military solution”.

 “We are also interested in not fanning the flames of conflict but rather trying to encourage the parties to resolve their disputes and claims through the legal process and through diplomacy,” he said. He said even for an instant, one should not underestimate the importance of the world order.

 “We have spent enormous energy in the aftermath of World War 11 in order to (build it). It has served us well. It has helped us bring an end to the cold war and it has helped us set on a new course in the 21st century.

So it is important to us to respect the international order, to show respect for international law and to support regional stability and prosperity,” Kerry said.</s>Kerry says no military solution to South China Sea dispute

NEW DELHI, Aug 31 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry called on Wednesday on China and the Philippines to abide by an international tribunal's decision on the disputed South China Sea and said there was no military solution to the problem.

Kerry's remarks, made in a visit to India, came ahead of a G20 summit in China on Sunday and Monday that could be overshadowed by arguments over everything from territorial disputes to protectionism by China, diplomats say.

An arbitration court in The Hague ruled in July that China did not have historic rights to the South China Sea. China dismissed the case lodged by the Philippines and rejected the ruling.

"The United States continues to call on China and the Philippines to abide by the tribunal's recent decision which is final and legally binding on both parties," Kerry told a gathering of students in New Delhi.

China claims most of the South China Sea, through which more than $5 trillion of trade moves annually. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam have rival claims.

China has vowed to take all measures needed to protect its sovereignty over the South China Sea and says its actions there, which have included land reclamation and construction of air fields and docks on reefs, are peaceful.

China has blamed the United States and its allies in the region, such as Japan and Australia, for stoking tension.

The United States and Japan have no territorial claims in the South China Sea and say their priority is freedom of navigation.

Kerry said the United States supported diplomatic efforts to resolve territorial disputes to which there was "no military solution".

"We are also interested in not fanning the flames of conflict but rather trying to encourage the parties to resolve their disputes and claims through the legal process and through diplomacy," Kerry said.

The United States and India, in a joint statement issued on Tuesday after security talks, reiterated the importance of freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea.

They said states should resolve disputes through peaceful means and "exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that could complicate or escalate disputes affecting peace and stability".

U.S. ally the Philippines welcomed the tribunal's ruling in July but it is keen not to anger China. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte says he will hold talks with China on the issue.

Duterte is attending a summit next week in Laos of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), which both U.S. President Barack Obama and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang are also going to.

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin, asked in Beijing whether Li would meet Duterte there, said it was not clear what bilateral meetings might take place.

Liu did not refer directly to the United States but said interference by some countries outside the region was a challenge in China-ASEAN relations.

"Frankly, some countries outside the region don't want to see China-ASEAN relations develop so quickly and become so close. Some people, some countries, are constantly interfering in the development of China-ASEAN relations," Liu said. (Additional reporting by Sanjeev Miglani, and Michael Martina in BEIJING; Writing by Krishna N. Das; Editing by Clarence Fernandez, Robert Birsel)</s>US Secretary of State John Kerry addresses students at Indian Institute of Technology in New Delhi, India, on Wednesday (AP photo)

NEW DELHI — US Secretary of State John Kerry called on Wednesday on China and the Philippines to abide by an international tribunal’s decision on the disputed South China Sea and said there was no military solution to the problem.

Kerry’s remarks, made in a visit to India, came ahead of a G-20 summit in China on Sunday and Monday that could be overshadowed by arguments over everything from territorial disputes to protectionism by China, diplomats say.

An arbitration court in The Hague ruled in July that China did not have historic rights to the South China Sea. China dismissed the case lodged by the Philippines and rejected the ruling.

“The United States continues to call on China and the Philippines to abide by the tribunal’s recent decision which is final and legally binding on both parties,” Kerry told a gathering of students in New Delhi.

China claims most of the South China Sea, through which more than $5 trillion of trade moves annually. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam have rival claims.

China has vowed to take all measures needed to protect its sovereignty over the South China Sea and says its actions there, which have included land reclamation and construction of air fields and docks on reefs, are peaceful.

China has blamed the United States and its allies in the region, such as Japan and Australia, for stoking tension.

The United States and Japan have no territorial claims in the South China Sea and say their priority is freedom of navigation.

Kerry said the United States supported diplomatic efforts to resolve territorial disputes to which there was “no military solution”.

“We are also interested in not fanning the flames of conflict but rather trying to encourage the parties to resolve their disputes and claims through the legal process and through diplomacy,” Kerry said.

The United States and India, in a joint statement issued on Tuesday after security talks, reiterated the importance of freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea.

They said states should resolve disputes through peaceful means and “exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that could complicate or escalate disputes affecting peace and stability”.

US ally the Philippines welcomed the tribunal’s ruling in July but it is keen not to anger China. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte says he will hold talks with China on the issue.

Duterte is attending a summit next week in Laos of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), which both US President Barack Obama and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang are also going to.

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin, asked in Beijing whether Li would meet Duterte there, said it was not clear what bilateral meetings might take place.

Liu did not refer directly to the United States but said interference by some countries outside the region was a challenge in China-ASEAN relations.

“Frankly, some countries outside the region don’t want to see China-ASEAN relations develop so quickly and become so close. Some people, some countries, are constantly interfering in the development of China-ASEAN relations,” Liu said.</s>ASEAN, China to adopt communications protocol to ease tensions at sea

MANILA, Sept 2 (Reuters) - Southeast Asian countries and China will establish hotlines and adopt communications protocols to avoid potential naval clashes in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, a Philippines foreign ministry official said on Friday.

The protocols will be signed in Laos next week, when heads of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meet with leaders from other regional powers - China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, India, Russia and the United States - for a three day summit.

The mechanism, called the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES), would be new for both ASEAN and China, Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Helen de la Vega told a news conference.

"It's one way of de-escalating tensions in the South China Sea," she said, adding that hotlines between China and the ASEAN governments would be established.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea where about $5 trillion sea-borne trade passes annually. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims on parts of the sea, which is believed to have rich deposits of oil and gas.

"This is very important because any accident that can lead to a major confrontation will be avoided if our navies and coast guards are communicating with each other," a senior Philippines navy commander told Reuters.

He said there had been instances in the past when Chinese vessels had not responded to radio and signal communications when they had been encountered by a Philippine Navy ship.

Regardless of this agreement, the United States, Japan and Australia are expected to call on China to respect and comply with the ruling of the arbitration court in The Hague in July.

The court infuriated Beijing by ruling that China had no historical title over the South China Sea and it had breached the Philippines' sovereign rights.

The Philippines new President Rodrigo Duterte said he will raising the arbitral ruling but will champion other issues, like ridding Southeast Asia of narcotics, clamping down on human trafficking and protection for migrant workers.

Duterte is holding nine bilateral talks, including with U.S. President Barack Obama, Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

China's foreign ministry said on Friday China was open to a meeting with Duterte during the summit in Laos, but as of yet no meetings had been scheduled with Chinese Premier Li Kequiang or U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
The Philippines says it won't have bilateral talks with China until the Chinese stop all provocations in the South China Sea.