U.S. destroyer USS Lassen
(VOVworld) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has voiced his support for the US recent deployment of a destroyer in the 12-nautical mile zone around China’s illegally built up islands in Vietnam’s Truong Sa or Spratly archipelago. He reiterated Tokyo’s cooperation with the international community to protect the free, open and peaceful sea. Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan told US and Chinese ambassadors in separate meetings that Singapore support freedom of navigation and air transport based in international law. The US Wall Street Journal quoted Australia’s consideration of deploying vessels to the artificial islands illegally built by China. Indonesian President Joko Widodo called for self-restraint and urged China and the ASEAN to start negotiation on a Code of Conducts for Parties in the East Sea.