Obama warns China, backs Philippines

April 29, 2014 13:58

US President Barack Obama ended an Asian tour today with a warning to China against using force to resolve territorial disputes, and an "ironclad" promise of military support for the Philippines.

Obama used an address to US and Filipino troops in Manila to again voice concern over the increasingly tense maritime rows between China and US allies in the region, an issue that has dominated his four-nation trip.

"We believe that nations and peoples have the right to live in security and peace, to have their sovereignty and territorial integrity respected," Obama said.

"We believe that international law must be upheld, that freedom of navigation must be preserved and commerce must not be impeded. We believe that disputes must be resolved peacefully and not by intimidation or force."

The Philippines has been embroiled in one of the highest-profile territorial disputes with China, over tiny islets, reefs and rocks in the South China Sea.

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

Neeraj Chopra finishes second in Doha Diamond League

Olympic and world champion Neeraj Chopra finished second at the Doha Diamond League meeting javelin throw event as his big final effort of 88.36m fell short by two centimetres of Jakub Vadlejch's winning effort in Doha on Friday.

In Pictures - Gill, Sudharsan hit centuries as GT ease past CSK

IMAGES from the IPL 2024 match between Gujarat Titans vs Shubman Gill at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday.

Mani Shankar Aiyar's 'Pak atom bomb' remark sparks row

Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar's remarks on Pakistan sparked a political row on Friday, with his party quick to dissociate itself from the comments while the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party latched on to them, accusing the Congress of...

Kejriwal walks out of Tihar on 21-day bail, but can't go to office

Embattled Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal walked out of the Tihar Jail on Friday evening, hours after the Supreme Court granted him interim bail in a money laundering case to enable him to campaign in the Lok Sabha elections, in a...

Probe agencies failed to unmask Dabholkar murder masterminds: Court

The investigating agencies could not expose the masterminds behind the murder of rationalist Dr Narendra Dabholkar, and must introspect whether it was a mere failure or a 'deliberate inaction' due to the influence of any 'person in...