China Criticizes US over Maritime Patrol Proposal in South China Sea
China asked the United States to take no position on the South China Sea issue after US Navy Officer Robert Thomas promised to back the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in patrolling areas of the waterway. "We hope the United States will strictly honor its commitment of not taking positions or sides on territorial sovereignty issues," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei. The U.S. navy officer suggested on Tuesday that the Southeast Asian countries form a combined maritime force to patrol areas of the South China Sea. "If ASEAN members were to take the lead in organizing something along those lines, trust me, the US 7th Fleet would be ready to support," Robert Thomas, commander of the US navy 7th Fleet, was quoted by Bloomberg as saying in Malaysia.
U.S. Lawmakers Say Latest Russia Sanctions Too Mild, To Seek More
Senior U.S. Republican lawmakers said on Monday the latest sanctions imposed on Russian individuals and companies are too mild to deter Moscow from further action in Ukraine and promised to offer legislation as soon as this week to pressure the Obama administration to take stronger action. Tennessee Senator Bob Corker, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who earlier this month visited Ukraine and neighboring countries, called the new sanctions "just a slap on the wrist," and said it was time for measures that would affect the Russian economy. "Until you hit three or four of the large banks - the financial institutions - until you hit one of the energy producers at least…
New U.S. Sanctions On Putin Allies Cause Few Ripples
The United States imposed fresh sanctions on Russian firms and government officials on Monday, a move that financial markets largely shrugged off and U.S. Republican lawmakers dismissed as too little to deterMoscow from further action in Ukraine. The reaction underscored the dilemma facing President Barack Obama: how to use sanctions to punish Moscow for its intervention in Ukraine without hurting European countries and foreign companies with deep financial ties to Russia. Washington slapped sanctions on seven Russian government officials and 17 companies linked to President Vladimir Putin, in response to what the White House said was Moscow's failure to adhere to an April 17 agreement on ways to resolve the crisis.
