the United States does not agree with China’s claims to most of the South China sea. This story is developing for the past several years, but now it has reached the hottest point. China defends its right to control over the water area of 3.3 million square kilometers, and the United States believe that it is unfair to their traditional allies such as Taiwan and the Philippines.
U.S. Secretary of state Mike Pompeo on Monday, July 13, announced the official withdrawal of recognition of the “majority” of PRC claims in the South China sea. It was the highest point of escalation already in not the best of times relations between Washington and Beijing.
the Secretary of state of the United States describes this step as “strengthening US policy” in this area. The chief U.S. diplomat said that “Beijing claims on the resources of the greater part of the South China sea is illegal, as its campaign of intimidation of other countries to control these resources.”
“the World will not allow Beijing to consider the South China sea as its Maritime Empire. America supports our allies and partners in Southeast Asia in protecting their sovereign rights to marine resources in accordance with their opportunities and obligations under international law,” stated Pompeo.
Beijing claims nearly 3.3 million square kilometers of the South China sea as its sovereign waters. Over the past few years, China has built fortifications on several Islands to protect their interests in the region.
On the individual Islands and waters of the South China sea claimed by several countries that surround it: Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and Taiwan (which Beijing considered a part of China).
Beijing interfered with commercial activities (such as fishing or mineral exploration) some of these countries, as China considered their property area, which, according to representatives of the celestial Empire belonged to them for hundreds of years.
In 2016, the matter even reached the court between States: the Philippines has sued China regarding China’s claims on waters in the South China sea. Then the Arbitration court in the Hague sided with the Philippines. That is what the decision refers Pompeo, justifying the position of America on this issue.
It is the unanimous decision of the court “rejected the Maritime claims of China as having no basis in international law. As previously stated, the United States and as specifically provided in this Convention, the decision of the Arbitration court in the Hague is final and legally binding for both parties,” said Pompeo.
the Chinese Embassy in Washington sharply of urea��Arevalo Pompeo in a statement, calling the charges “totally unfounded.” According to Chinese diplomats United States of “distorting facts and international law, exaggerating the situation in the region and trying to sow discord between China and other riparian countries.” In addition, representatives of China noted that the US is not directly involved in the dispute and has no direct interests in the South China sea.
Experts point out that the current clash of interests of the United States and China to be the key. Step Pompeo “quite significant,” said Gregory poling, senior fellow for Southeast Asia and Director of the Initiative the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at the Center for strategic and international studies in Washington.
“what was said by The representatives of the United States, is that America is going to remain neutral in the question of who owns which island or rock in the South China sea, but the States are no longer going to be silent about the illegal China’s claims to these waters” said poling, adding that in the past the US was “evasive” in this issue.
“Such statements – a big diplomatic blow. This allows US to very clearly mention the activities of China are illegal, not just destructive or useless, and it is illegal. It helps so American partners, such as Vietnam and the Philippines, and this position will put pressure on other countries, including European, that they have hardened their position on this issue,” – said the expert.
