The South China Sea is divided into three archipelagos (file)
Washington, D.C:
In one of the United States' strongest attacks on Beijing's illegal territorial claims in the strategic waters of the South China Sea, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stressed on Saturday that Washington's policy in the region was crystal clear and that the contested area in the South China Sea (SCS) was "not China's." maritime empire ".
"The policy of the United States is crystal clear: the South China Sea is not China 's maritime empire. If Beijing violates international law and free nations do nothing, history shows that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) will simply occupy more territory China's sea must be resolved by international law, "said Mr. Pompeo in a tweet.
The South China Sea is divided into three archipelagos. China claims almost the entire South China Sea as a territory and has aggressively asserted its share in recent years.
This happens weeks after the United States officially rejected China's claims to offshore resources in much of the South China Sea and described Beijing's bullying campaign as "completely illegal".
On July 13, Mr. Pompeo made a statement on the U.S. position on maritime claims in the South China Sea, stating that the Chinese government had no legal reason to unilaterally impose its will on the region.
Washington announced that it would adjust the U.S. position on the Chinese government's claims in the South China Sea to the 2016 arbitral tribunal's decision.
The Trump administration has tightened its stance on Beijing, particularly as relations between the two global superpowers continue to deteriorate as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and forced behavior towards its neighbors, including India.