U.S. reiterates support for South China Sea arbitration, peaceful resolution

Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Wednesday reiterated its call for the peaceful resolution of territorial disputes in the South China Sea, in response to the setting of a date for a decision in an international court case brought by the Philippines against China. An arbitration court hearing the dispute between China and the Philippines over the South China Sea will deliver its decision on July 12, it said in a statement on Wednesday. "Consistent with our longstanding policy, we support the peaceful resolution of disputes in the South China Sea, including the use of international legal mechanisms such as arbitration," a State Department spokeswoman, Anna Richey-Allen, said when asked about the announcement. (Reporting by David Brunnstrom and Matt Spetalnick)