Socialist Republic of Vietnam

(VNA) Two United States senators on June 13 introduced a resolution condemning the repeated use of force by China in the East Sea on May 26 and June 9 and causing damage to Vietnamese exploration ships operating within Vietnam ’s 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone.

Senators Jim Webb and James Inhofe are chair and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations East Asian and Pacific Affairs Subcommittee, respectively.

The bill referred to incidents between Chinese patrol boasts and a Philippines surveillance ship in March 2011, China ’s claims over most of the East Sea , and the harassment of the US naval ship Impeccable in 2009.

According to the senators, the Senate needed to reaffirm the strong support of the US for the peaceful resolution of maritime territorial disputes in the East Sea .

They said the Senate needed to condemn the use of force by naval and maritime security vessels from China in the East Sea , call on all parties to the territorial dispute to refrain from threatening force or using force, and support activities to defend freedom of navigational rights in international waters and air space in the East Sea .

The same day at the Council for Foreign Relations, Senator Webb repeatedly emphasised that fishery administration ships and fishing boats of China had twice intentionally cut surveying cables of Vietnamese ships, saying the acts by China were “improper” and calling on Beijing to stop such acts immediately.

Earlier, on June 10, on his website, Senator Webb expressed “grave concerns” over the repeated use of force by China to assert maritime territorial claims in the East Sea .

In another move, the Centre for Strategic & International Studies will host a conference on Maritime Security in the East Sea in Washington DC , on June 20-21.

The dialogue will focus on assessing interests and positions of parties in the East Sea , providing updates on recent development in the East Sea , evaluating the effectiveness of current maritime security frameworks and mechanisms in the East Sea , and making policy recommendations to enhance security in the region.

Around 100 senior officials, executives, experts, academics and members of the media are to participate in the dialogue./.