US: Pompeo terms Chinese aggression in South China Sea 'unlawful'

Amid the increasing political turmoil between the United States and China, the former has called out Chinese aggression in the South China Sea, officially discrediting China's claim to the resources of the region as 'completely unlawful'. The statement by the US comes because China has been strong-arming smaller neighbouring countries sharing the South China sea, and the Chinese government forcefully claiming sovereignty over the international waters in violation of the international law.

"The United States champions a free and open Indo-Pacific. Today we are strengthening U.S. policy in a vital, contentious part of that region -- the South China Sea. We are making clear: Beijing's claims to offshore resources across most of the South China Sea are completely unlawful, as is its campaign of bullying to control them," the statement by US Secretary of the State Michael Pompeo read.

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"In the South China Sea, we seek to preserve peace and stability, uphold freedom of the seas in a manner consistent with international law, maintain the unimpeded flow of commerce, and oppose any attempt to use coercion or force to settle disputes. We share these deep and abiding interests with our many allies and partners who have long endorsed a rules-based international order," the statement read.

"The PRC has no legal grounds to unilaterally impose its will on the region. Beijing has offered no coherent legal basis for its "Nine-Dashed Line" claim in the South China Sea since formally announcing it in 2009," it added.

"We stand with the international community in defence of freedom of the seas and respect for sovereignty and reject any push to impose "might makes right" in the South China Sea or the wider region," the United States said.

"Any PRC action to harass other states' fishing or hydrocarbon development in these waters - or to carry out such activities unilaterally - is unlawful," the statement read.

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China's unilateral aggressive expansionist policy and claiming sovereignty over disputed territories has isolated the communist country on the international forum. Pertaining to the South China sea, in late June, the countries that are a part of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) had also called out the Chinese bullying in the region. The ASEAN nations had given a statement that the dispute should be resolved in line with the international law, stressing on "the importance of non-militarisation and self-restraint in the conduct of activities that would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability, and avoid actions that may further complicate the situation".

The statement by the ASEAN called for upholding the international law including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982 and to pursue the peaceful resolution of disputes while enhancing mutual trust and confidence. The statement was passed by the core member nations Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam.