MANILA, Philippines—An American diplomat says it’s unlikely that an armed conflict involving the United States will erupt in the contested Spratly Islands.
David Carden, Washington’s ambassador to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, said Monday that countries claiming the islands in the South China Sea need to create a strong regional mechanism to resolve the dispute. He said they should include other countries that can help such as the United States.
China, the Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan, Brunei and Vietnam claim all or parts of the Spratlys, which are believed to have vast oil and gas reserves, rich fishing grounds and straddle one of the world’s busiest sea lanes. The Spratlys have long been regarded as a potential flash point for conflict in Asia.