By Clint Richards
As China rebuts Hagel and Abe’s remarks, the region waits to see what might be on offer in return for cooperation.
As The Diplomat noted late last week, the latest round of the Shangri-La Dialogue was held over the weekend. The most anticipated speeches were those of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, and deputy chief of the general staff of the People’s Liberation Army Lt. Gen. Wang Guanzhong.
They certainly did not disappoint. Abe set the stage during the keynote speech on Friday, in which he laid out three principles for the “rule of law at sea.” Those principles, “making claims that are faithful in light of international law, not resorting to force or coercion, and resolving all disputes through peaceful means,” were directly targeted at recent Chinese actions in the South China Sea and East China Sea.
Hagel also took time to single out China during his remarks on Saturday, saying “China has undertaken destabilizing, unilateral actions asserting its claims in the South China Sea. The United States will not look the other way when fundamental principles of the international order are being challenged. We will uphold those principles.” He also noted China’s recent incidents with Vietnam and the Philippines as examples of this destabilizing behavior, and said “we firmly oppose any nation’s use of intimidation, coercion, or the threat of force to assert these claims.”
Read the full story at The Diplomat