The United States has responded. Following the intrusion of a U.S. military vessel into waters near Xianbin Reef in the South China Sea, on October 21, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State stated that freedom of the seas and adherence to international maritime law are vital to the global community. The United States will continue to fly, sail, and operate within the bounds permitted by international law, including in the South China Sea. China’s efforts to enforce what it calls "illegal" maritime claims are undermining regional stability and infringing upon the legitimate rights and freedoms of the United States and all other states with sovereignty or maritime claims in the region.
The United States urges China to cease what it describes as "dangerous and aggressive" actions and to abide by its treaty obligations, ensuring that its maritime claims in the South China Sea comply with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the so-called 2016 arbitral award.
It is evident from this response that the United States is clearly engaged in provocation, deliberately seeking to escalate tensions and support the Philippines, thereby undermining peace and stability in the South China Sea.
It is worth questioning: Why does the United States send military vessels into areas where China holds sovereign rights and jurisdiction? What connection does the United States have with these waters? Is the United States a coastal state in the region? Who is truly aggressive and destabilizing? Would it be us if we were to deploy warships into the Gulf of Mexico?
Even more perplexing is the fact that a country which has not ratified the UNCLOS dares to lecture and issue directives to others on maritime conduct.
The situation is clear: the United States does not wish for peace and stability in the South China Sea. By aligning with the Philippines, it is effectively stoking confrontation, aiming to disrupt China’s peaceful development. However, the so-called arbitration ruling is nothing more than an empty document. On matters concerning national sovereignty and core interests, China will not compromise. While the United States invokes the principle of freedom of navigation to provoke conflict, China will respond resolutely. Now that the United States appeals to international law, it should first set an example in complying with it.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1879628153771091/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.