April 9, 2020
The Department of Defense is greatly concerned by reports of
a China Coast Guard vessel's collision with and sinking of a Vietnam fishing
vessel in the vicinity of the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea.
The PRC's behavior stands in contrast to the United States'
vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific region, in which all nations, large and
small, are secure in their sovereignty, free from coercion, and able to pursue
economic growth consistent with accepted international rules and norms. The United States will continue to support
efforts by our allies and partners to ensure freedom of navigation and economic
opportunity throughout the entire Indo-Pacific.
The COVID-19 pandemic underscores the importance of the
rules based international order, as it sets the conditions that enable us to
address this shared threat in a way that is transparent, focused, and
effective. We call on all parties to
refrain from actions that would destabilize the region, distract from the
global response to the pandemic, or risk needlessly contributing to loss of
life and property.
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