U.S. Investment Immigration Focus on American Life: On February 17, after talks with Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry stated that the U.S. is concerned about China's efforts to expand its "control" in Asia-Pacific waters, and he called on all parties to abide by international law in handling maritime disputes.
According to reports, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry visited the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 17th to meet with Marty Natalegawa. After the meeting, the two sides signed memoranda of understanding to promote investment, strengthen joint counter-terrorism efforts, and curb wildlife trafficking.
At a press conference, Kerry stated that he had visited Beijing two days prior and expressed to China that "the United States is deeply concerned about the confrontational situation in the South China Sea and East China Sea."
Kerry said that the United States firmly believes that international law applies to all countries, whether large or small, and that the U.S. supports all nations in adhering to international law to resolve regional disputes.
Kerry further noted that the U.S. appreciates Indonesia's "leading role" in negotiating a Code of Conduct for the South China Sea with ASEAN. However, he added that the longer the negotiation process takes, the higher the regional tensions rise, and the greater the risk that a miscalculation by any party could trigger a conflict—a scenario that no one wants to see.
Kerry claimed that China's pursuit of expanded control in Asia-Pacific waters is causing increasing concern for the United States.
When asked about the progress of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, Kerry indicated that the United States will continue to engage in the negotiations.
It is reported that Indonesia is the third stop on Kerry's four-nation tour of Asia, having previously visited South Korea and China.