The United States is urging China to comport its maritime claims over the South China Sea and cease “harassment” of state vessels laying claim to the disputed area.
US Department of State Spokesperson Matthew Miller in a statement urged Beijing “to comport its maritime claims with international law as reflected in the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention; cease its routine harassment of claimant state vessels lawfully operating in their respective exclusive economic zones; halt its disruption to states’ sovereign rights to explore, exploit, conserve, and manage natural resources; and end its interference with the freedoms of navigation and overflight of states lawfully operating in the region.”
Miller, in the statement, further said the US “will continue working with allies and partners to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific, one that is at peace and grounded in respect for international law.”
In a joint statement, 16 European countries meanwhile are supporting the Philippines in asserting its sovereignty over the disputed waters.
The statement was made as the world commemorates this month Manila’s victory against Beijing relative to the South China Sea dispute through the 2016 Arbitral Ruling rendered by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague.
The Chinese government has rejected the ruling.
