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Kerry Urges Beijing to Halt ‘Problematic Actions’ in South China Sea Kerry Urges Beijing to Halt ‘Problematic Actions’ in South China Sea
(about 2 hours later)
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — With tensions mounting over China’s land reclamation projects in disputed South China Sea waters, Secretary of State John Kerry urged his Chinese counterpart on Wednesday to halt “problematic actions” in the area to provide an opportunity for diplomacy, a senior State Department official said.KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — With tensions mounting over China’s land reclamation projects in disputed South China Sea waters, Secretary of State John Kerry urged his Chinese counterpart on Wednesday to halt “problematic actions” in the area to provide an opportunity for diplomacy, a senior State Department official said.
Mr. Kerry met with China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, on the sidelines of a Southeast Asian meeting here that has been marked by concern over Beijing’s effort to pile sand around reefs in the South China Sea and construct buildings, harbors, radar towers and airstrips there. More than 2,000 acres of artificial island have been created, according to United States officials.Mr. Kerry met with China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, on the sidelines of a Southeast Asian meeting here that has been marked by concern over Beijing’s effort to pile sand around reefs in the South China Sea and construct buildings, harbors, radar towers and airstrips there. More than 2,000 acres of artificial island have been created, according to United States officials.
Mr. Kerry told Mr. Yi that the United States was concerned about the large-scale nature of China’s land reclamation and the “militarization of features there,” said the State Department official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity under the agency’s protocol for briefing reporters. Mr. Kerry told Mr. Wang that the United States was concerned about the large-scale nature of China’s land reclamation and the “militarization of features there,” said the State Department official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity under the agency’s protocol for briefing reporters.
Mr. Kerry later told diplomats here that he had a “good meeting” with Mr. Yi and expressed hope that headway in defusing the South China Sea disputes would be made in the coming days. Mr. Kerry later told diplomats here that he had a “good meeting” with Mr. Wang and expressed hope that headway in defusing the South China Sea disputes would be made in the coming days.
“I hope very much that at this meeting over the course of today and tomorrow we will find a way to move forward effectively together, all of us,” Mr. Kerry said. “We want to ensure the security of critical sea lanes and fishing grounds, and we want to see that disputes in the area are managed peacefully and on the basis of international law.”“I hope very much that at this meeting over the course of today and tomorrow we will find a way to move forward effectively together, all of us,” Mr. Kerry said. “We want to ensure the security of critical sea lanes and fishing grounds, and we want to see that disputes in the area are managed peacefully and on the basis of international law.”
Though Mr. Kerry believes his conversation with Mr. Yi was constructive, the two diplomats did not agree on any specific proposals, American officials said. Though Mr. Kerry believes his conversation with Mr. Wang was constructive, the two diplomats did not agree on any specific proposals, American officials said.
Mr. Yi’s public comments on the South China Sea in recent days have not provided American officials with much grounds for optimism. Earlier this week, he dismissed previous calls by the United States for a freeze on the construction of artificial islands as “unrealistic,” insisted that all of China’s reclamation work was being done in Chinese territory and asserted that efforts to establish a code of conduct for the South China Sea were not a proper subject for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations meeting here. Mr. Wang’s public comments on the South China Sea in recent days have not provided American officials with much grounds for optimism. This week, he dismissed previous calls by the United States for a freeze on the construction of artificial islands as “unrealistic,” insisted that all of China’s reclamation work was being done in Chinese territory and asserted that efforts to establish a code of conduct for the South China Sea were not a proper subject for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations meeting here.
Of the nations represented here, the Philippines and Vietnam — which have claims to South China Sea waters that overlap with China’s — have been among the most vocal about China’s recent actions, while other countries like Thailand, Myanmar and Cambodia have expressed less concern. Of the nations represented here, the Philippines and Vietnam — which have claims to South China Sea waters that overlap with China’s — have been among the most vocal about China’s recent actions, while other countries like Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand have expressed less concern.
“As we speak, we see no letup on the unilateral and aggressive activities of our northern neighbor in the South China Sea,” Albert del Rosario, the Philippines’ foreign secretary, said Tuesday. “As we speak, we see no letup on the unilateral and aggressive activities of our northern neighbor in the South China Sea,” Albert del Rosario, the Philippines’ foreign secretary, said on Tuesday.
Mr. del Rosario has said he supports the United States’ call for a freeze on the construction of artificial islands, saying that the Philippines would halt its own land reclamation work if China would do so. But such a freeze, if agreed upon, should not be interpreted as legitimizing China’s recent construction, he has argued.Mr. del Rosario has said he supports the United States’ call for a freeze on the construction of artificial islands, saying that the Philippines would halt its own land reclamation work if China would do so. But such a freeze, if agreed upon, should not be interpreted as legitimizing China’s recent construction, he has argued.
For all the Obama administration’s talk of shifting more focus to Asia, Mr. Kerry has also used meetings like the one here to confer on an array of other issues, especially Syria. On Wednesday afternoon, he met with Mevlut Cavusoglu, Turkey’s foreign minister, who was also attending the gathering.For all the Obama administration’s talk of shifting more focus to Asia, Mr. Kerry has also used meetings like the one here to confer on an array of other issues, especially Syria. On Wednesday afternoon, he met with Mevlut Cavusoglu, Turkey’s foreign minister, who was also attending the gathering.
Turkey and the United States recently agreed to clear Islamic State militants from a strip of Syrian territory near the Turkish border and to provide air cover for a moderate Syrian opposition force there. But the small number of moderate Syrian fighters that the Pentagon has trained have since been attacked by the Nusra Front, a rebel group that the United States alleges is linked to Al Qaeda. Turkey and the United States recently agreed to clear Islamic State militants from a strip of Syrian territory near the Turkish border and to provide air cover for a moderate Syrian opposition force there. But the small number of moderate Syrian fighters that the Pentagon has trained have since been attacked by the Nusra Front, a rebel group that the United States claims is linked to Al Qaeda.
Mr. Cavusoglu suggested Wednesday that the difficulties the moderate Syrian rebels have encountered would be eased once Turkey became more involved in the fight. “We will also start our fight against Daesh very effectively soon,” he told reporters, using an alternate name for the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL. “Then the ground will be safer for the moderate opposition that are fighting Daesh.” Mr. Cavusoglu suggested on Wednesday that the difficulties the moderate Syrian rebels have encountered would be eased once Turkey became more involved in the fight. “We will also start our fight against Daesh very effectively soon,” he told reporters, using an alternate name for the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL. “Then the ground will be safer for the moderate opposition that are fighting Daesh.”
Mr. Kerry planned to meet Wednesday evening with Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov. On Sunday, the two diplomats and Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, Adel al-Jubeir, held an unusual three-way meeting in Doha, Qatar, on the Syria crisis. Mr. Kerry planned to meet Wednesday evening with Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov. On Monday, the two diplomats and Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, Adel al-Jubeir, held an unusual three-way meeting in Doha, Qatar, on the Syria crisis.
Amid the seemingly intractable disputes over the South China Sea and Syria, there was visible progress Wednesday in at least one area: Mr. Kerry’s recovery from the broken leg he suffered in May during a cycling accident. Amid the seemingly intractable disputes over the South China Sea and Syria, there was visible progress on Wednesday in at least one area: Mr. Kerry’s recovery from the broken leg he suffered in May during a cycling accident.
During his round-the-world trip, Mr. Kerry has progressed from using crutches to walking with a silver-handled cane lent to him by Victoria Reggie Kennedy, the widow of Senator Edward M. Kennedy.During his round-the-world trip, Mr. Kerry has progressed from using crutches to walking with a silver-handled cane lent to him by Victoria Reggie Kennedy, the widow of Senator Edward M. Kennedy.
“This cane has a history,” said Mr. Kerry, noting that it had belonged to Joseph B. Kennedy, the Kennedy family patriarch, when he served as ambassador to Britain. “This cane has a history,” said Mr. Kerry, noting that it had belonged to Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., the family patriarch, when he served as ambassador to Britain.
It was used by his son John F. Kennedy before he became president, and later by John’s brother Edward, who twice lent the cane to Mr. Kerry after knee surgery.It was used by his son John F. Kennedy before he became president, and later by John’s brother Edward, who twice lent the cane to Mr. Kerry after knee surgery.
“It’s the third time I’ve used it,” Mr. Kerry said. “Three times is lucky, right? No hard breaks.”“It’s the third time I’ve used it,” Mr. Kerry said. “Three times is lucky, right? No hard breaks.”