(VOVworld) – US President Barack Obama said the Philippines made a lawful and peaceful effort to resolve their maritime dispute with China using the tribunal established under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (left) and US president Barack Obama (right) at the US-ASEAN summit at Sunnylands Estate in California on February 15. (Photo: St file)

 
In an interview with Singapore’s Strait Times on the Philippines’ lawsuit against China, Obama said the tribunal’s ruling delivered a clear and legally binding decision on maritime claims in the East Sea as they relate to China and the Philippines, and that ruling should be respected.
The United States works to ensure that any actions it takes are consistent with international laws and norms and that its presence in Asia is not prejudicial to any nation. The US will continue to urge China and other claimants to respect international law in resolving their disagreements in the Eeast Sea. International rules and norms are part of the foundation of regional stability, and they have allowed nations across the region, including China, to grow and prosper.