China calls for South China Sea dialogue, as US warships patrol

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has reportedly said he is ready to talk to China on the South China Sea disputes, but the US, despite its commitment to not take any position on the issue, is still sparing no efforts in stirring up the waters in the region before the Hague-based arbitration tribunal's verdict.

In recent weeks, the US advanced destroyers have sailed close to the islands and reefs that China has claimed sovereignty in the South China Sea, according to the report by the Washington-based Navy Times newspaper.

Over the past two weeks, the USS destroyers — Stethem, Spruance and Momsen — have patroled near China's Huangyan Dao and in the Nansha Islands, Navy Times said based on the US defense officials' remarks on Thursday.

"We have been regularly patrolling within the 14 to 20 nautical-mile range of these features," Navy Times quoted a US official who asked for anonymity to discuss operations.

The USS Ronald Reagan and its escort ships have also been patrolling the South China Sea since last week, according to the report. All those deployments are part of the "regular and routine presence throughout the western Pacific," Navy Times cited Lt. Clint Ramsden, spokesman for US Pacific Fleet, as saying.

After the Ronald Reagan carrier moved into the South China Sea, two carrier strike groups have also been dispatched to the region this year. The carrier USS John C. Stennis was seen in the South China Sea until it left on June 5.

According to Navy Times, the US Navy had seven ships in the region including Reagan, two cruisers and four destroyers as of Wednesday.

The newspaper cited experts saying that the US Navy's tactic is "a deliberate show of force" ahead of result from the tribunal, which will reportedly be announced on July 12.

But in fact, the show of military power is not welcomed even by the Philippines. The country's president has said he is open to talk to China and is also against the armed conflicts.

China has also expressed hope that the new Philippine government would veer away from the wrong path taken by the former government of Benigno Aquino III. China has called the Philippines to return to the dialogue desk to solve the disputes and meanwhile work together to improve bilateral relations that have been deteriorated during the Aquino administration.

When meeting with visiting UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and the UN chief have urged to seek a peaceful resolution to resolve the South China Sea disputes.