US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has declared China’s claims and coercions of in parts of the South China Sea is “completely unlawful”.
China, for almost a decade, has been building claims on the resource rich seas much to the rile of Vietnam, Taiwan, Indonesia and Philippines. It even constructed artificial islands to create Forward Operating bases for its Navy and Air Forces.
In a statement on Monday, much changed. Mr Pompeo denounced China’s claims on the disputed Spratlys Islands in the South China Sea, saying Beijing had “no legal grounds to unilaterally impose its will on the region”.
We are strengthening U.S. policy on South China Sea maritime claims, according to international law, in rejection of Beijing’s intimidation, bullying, and claims of maritime empire.
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) July 13, 2020
The PRC has no legal grounds to impose its will on the region and claim resources off the coasts of Southeast Asian states.
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) July 13, 2020
This comes in the backdrop of the fact that US presently has two carrier groups in the region, enough to challenge entire Chinese naval might.
The Chinese have responded with their attempt to present the fact, as Beijing sees. The Chinese Embassy in US tweeted:
The US @StateDept’s statement on #SouthChinaSea deliberately distorts the facts and international law including #UNCLOS, exaggerates the situation in the region & attempts to sow discord btw #China and other littoral countries. We are firmly opposed to it. https://t.co/jDa3v1bX3I pic.twitter.com/VAr9dHqTRz
— Chinese Embassy in US (@ChineseEmbinUS) July 13, 2020
However no so called ‘littoral’ country is going to back China – which has been bullying them at every level.
And it’s not just the nation bordering China on the Pacific maritime boundaries, recent Chinese aggressions against countries including India, Vietnam, Bhutan, Nepal – all seem to suggest Bejing mindset of a ‘Global Bully’ that is ready to ‘force’ its will. With the recent attempts at ‘Wolf-Warrior Diplomacy, the world has lost much of respect for the Chinese diplomats. These included Brazen attempts at narrating that Covid-19 was in circulation In Italy prior to break out in Wuhan. Post out break cover-ups and till date not allowing international efforts to reach the global pandemic’s ground Zero have also resulted in lost of warmth for the Chinese leadership.
Pompeo’s detailed his statement further by clarifying that US is with Southeast Asian nations including the Philippines and Vietnam. This comes after years of the United States’ position that it was not a party to the dispute. Pompeo said “America stands with our Southeast Asian allies and partners in protecting their sovereign rights to offshore resources, consistent with their rights and obligations under international law”
The latest round of Washington’s diplomatic salvo comes days after US took officially took actions against Chinese officials in Xinjian.
While the move will be a welcome relief in Manila, Hanoi and Taipei – this will also let Trump take on his presidential campaign with the fact that is back at the helm of world affairs and is ready to punish the creators if ‘China Virus’.
