US Defense: "China's South China Sea Claims Lack Legal Basis Under International Law"

Speech in Singapore, the First Country Visited on Southeast Asia Tour
"Will Strive for Constructive Relations with China"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki Ha-young] U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin pointed out that China's claim to sovereignty over the South China Sea has no basis under international law.

On the 27th, AFP reported that Secretary Austin, who is on a Southeast Asia tour, made this statement during a speech at an event hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in Singapore.

He said, "Such claims by (China) trample on the sovereignty of the countries in the region," adding, "We will continue to recognize the rights of the coastal countries of the South China Sea under international law and support them."

China claims sovereignty along the "Nine-Dash Line" in a U-shape around the South China Sea, leading to disputes with ASEAN countries including Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei. In July 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) ruled that China has no legal basis for most of its claims in the South China Sea, but conflicts have continued due to China's military actions.

At a high-level diplomatic meeting held on the 26th in Tianjin, China, the U.S. and China sharply disagreed over China's aggressive stance on the South China Sea.

In his Singapore speech, Secretary Austin reaffirmed the U.S. position on the South China Sea while expressing his intention to work toward easing tensions between the U.S. and China. He said, "We will strive to build a constructive and stable relationship with China, including enhancing communication with the People's Liberation Army to respond to crisis situations," adding, "The United States will not flinch even if its interests are threatened, but it does not seek confrontation."