US President Barack Obama’s administration on Friday released a Press Statement on the East Sea. The move followed the US Senate’s approval of a resolution which reconfirms the US strong support for the Declaration of Conduct of parties in the East Sea (DOC). Patrick Ventrell Acting Deputy Spokesperson, Office of Press Relations of the Department of State, says in the statement that “the United States has a national interest in the maintenance of peace and stability, respect for international law, freedom of navigation, and unimpeded lawful commerce in the East Sea. We do not take a position on competing territorial claims over land features and have no territorial ambitions in the East Sea; however, we believe the nations of the region should work collaboratively and diplomatically to resolve disputes without coercion, without intimidation, without threats, and without the use of force. We are concerned by the increase in tensions in the East Sea and are monitoring the situation closely. Recent developments include an uptick in confrontational rhetoric, disagreements over resource exploitation, coercive economic actions, and the incidents around the Scarborough Reef, including the use of barriers to deny access. In particular, China's upgrading of the administrative level of Sansha City and establishment of a new military garrison there covering disputed areas of the East Sea run counter to collaborative diplomatic efforts to resolve differences and risk further escalating tensions in the region.