Global Courant
WASHINGTON — Top US diplomat for East Asia Daniel Kritenbrink said Wednesday he expects a greater partnership between the US and India on issues in the South China Sea, where China has been at the center of numerous territorial disputes with regional nations.
The United States and India, during a state visit to Washington by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week, declared themselves “one of the closest partners in the world”, emphasizing compliance with international law in addressing challenges to the maritime rules-based order, including in the South China Sea.
The US has seen a “clear and upward trend” of Chinese “coercion” in the contested waters, Mr Kritenbrink told the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank in Washington.
When asked if India would play a bigger role in the South China Sea and cooperate more with the US there, Mr Kritenbrink said “Yes”, adding that there would be more cooperation between a group of regional powers – the US, India, Japan and Australia. – known as the Quad.
He said the US focus in the region has been on building the capacity of allies, partners and friends who share a vision for a peaceful and stable world.
“We welcome collaboration with any country that embraces that vision. That also applies to India, of course,’ said Kritenbrink.
“Big countries shouldn’t bully smaller countries,” he added, referring to China’s disputes with other South China Sea claimants.
Tensions are high in disputed parts of the South China Sea, one of the world’s most important trade routes and a conduit for more than US$3 trillion (S$4 trillion) in annual ship-borne trade.
China claims almost all of the South China Sea as its territory, saying disputes should be left to countries in the region to settle without outside interference.
