Asserting that there is no military solution to dispute in the South China Sea, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday said Washington will stand up for its allies.
"What is cooperating in the defence agreement that we just signed in Washington...the trade in goods that we are engaged in....all of this is the result of the last few years of the increased engagement between the countries. There is no military solution to dispute in South China Sea, but U.S. will stand up for its allies," Kerry said while interacting with the students at IIT, Delhi.
Kerry said the United States and India are cooperating in their approach to the tribunal and their recognition of rule of law with respect to the South China Sea.
"We both understand that the decision is legally binding. We are not interested in fanning the flames of conflict but rather trying to encourage the parties to resolve their disputes through the legal process," he added.
The U.S. Secretary of State's remark assumes significance as it comes ahead of a G20 Summit to be attended by global leaders in China on September 4 and 5.
As far as the territorial dispute related to the South China Sea is concerned, New Delhi has been a firm advocate of the 'Right to Freedom of Navigation' for all six countries located in its vicinity i.e. Brunei, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, The Philippines and Vietnam.
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