US Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday said Washington wants to avoid confrontation in the South China Sea, after meeting with Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay to discuss the Philippines’ victory over China before the Permanent Arbitration Court (PAC) over conflicting territorial claims. “The decision itself is a binding decision but we’re not trying to create a confrontation. We are trying to create a solution mindful of the rights of people established under the law,” Kerry said. The PAC based in The Hague this month ruled that China’s claim to most of the strategic waterway was inconsistent with international law. The decision angered Beijing, which vowed to ignore the ruling.

Araneta, S. (2016, July 28). Kerry: US avoiding maritime conflict. Manila Standard, pp. A1, A2.