Kerry urges talks between China and Philippines on South China Sea

Wading into the South China Sea dispute, US Secretary of State John Kerry has said he backs the resumptions of talks between China and the Philippines over the disputed region, as he met with his Filipino counterpart in Manila. It comes after an international ruling rejected China’s claims in the waters. “What we want to do is urge people to not try to build up the tensions. Don’t take provocative actions, leave the space here for people to be able to find a way forward that meets the needs of the region, of the nations and also respects people’s rights and obligations. “The decision itself is a binding decision but we’re not trying to create a contradiction, we’re trying to create a solution – mindful of the rights of people that are established under the law.” In a case brought by the Philippines, a UN tribunal ruled against China, deeming its territorial claims ‘invalid’. China claims almost all of the area, through which almost 5 trillion euros worth of trade passes every year. Beijing blames the US military presence in the region for stoking tensions, and protesters also want American troops out. Hundreds took to the streets to protest Kerry’s visit. “The US is doing a lot of double talk here in Asia. It pretends to be neutral but it really wants to contain China and establish its own dominance in the region,” protest leader, Renato Reyes told a reporter. While the US calls for diplomacy to resolve the dispute, activists consider that military operations in the region threaten to complicate the South China Sea issue. Kerry is the first foreign secretary to meet the country’s newly elected president Rodrigo Duterte. He is expected to discuss the UN ruling and how to move forward with negotiations, according to a US official. “I expect the conversation to include more exploration on the question of what a constructive, positive and peaceful and lawful path forward looks like,“ the U.S. official said. Excellent talks with #PresidentDuterte today. US looks forward to continued close partnership with #Philippines. pic.twitter.com/DeF4HGCWCi— John Kerry (@JohnKerry) July 27, 2016