Partnership for Growth

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Reuters Soundbite

Manila, Philippines

November 16, 2011

The United States does not take a position on any territorial claim, because any nation with a claim has a right to assert it. But they do not have a right to pursue it through intimidation or coercion. They should be following international law, the rule of law, the UN Convention on Law of the Seas.

President Obama will reaffirm our national interest in the maintenance of peace and security in the region, and internationally. And that includes freedom of navigation, over flight, respect for international law, the rule of law, unimpeded lawful commerce across the region's maritime domain.

We further seek to see the Law of the Sea used as the overriding framework for handling territorial disputes. So we expect that there will be such a frank discussion. We have been heartened by the strong response by a number of the countries that are part of ASEAN and part of the broader East Asia Summit.