U.S. airs concern over sea violations

Goldfein said the US is doing freedom of navigation operations to guarantee the global commons are kept open for all

A United States military general said the violation of international rules of order in territorial seas in the Philippines is “concerning.”

“I think quite frankly any activity that we see both at sea and in the air, and increasingly now we’re also having the same conversation in space and in cyber, has got to adhere to some international rules of order that we all live by. So, anybody in the region that violates those, it’s concerning,” said General David Goldfein, chief of staff of the US Air Force to the Pacific, said in a teleconference.

In the conference, Goldfein was asked on his stand on the unauthorized passage of Chinese warships in Sibutu Strait.

In a report by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, two Chinese warships were observed passing in Sibutu Strait in July while three were recorded in August.

Meanwhile, Department of National Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Chinese warships had passed through Sibutu Strait four times since February.

Goldfein said the US is doing freedom of navigation operations to guarantee the global commons are kept open for all.

“So part of our engagement here, and our presence here, is to make sure that we keep the global commons open for all. And everybody benefits when we can have freedom of navigation, to include China…There’s no letup in our willingness or our ability to fly or sail where we need to and when we need to, and there will be no let up in the future. That’s our commitment to the region,” added Goldfein.

In addition, US Pacific Air Forces commander General Charles Brown Jr. said violators of rules-based international order should be addressed.

“When those that don’t follow rules-based international order, no matter who that might be, we do highlight that. So, part of our operations are to deter, or also prove the fact that you should be able to fly, sail, and operate no matter what nation you are, where international law allows,” he said.