{"id":4018,"date":"2026-07-12T17:11:13","date_gmt":"2026-07-12T17:11:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/homebuyerrelocation.com\/?p=4018"},"modified":"2026-07-12T17:11:13","modified_gmt":"2026-07-12T17:11:13","slug":"u-s-joins-western-asian-allies-in-reasserting-illegality-of-beijings-south-china-sea-claims","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/homebuyerrelocation.com\/?p=4018","title":{"rendered":"U.S. joins Western, Asian allies in reasserting illegality of Beijing\u2019s South China Sea claims"},"content":{"rendered":"
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MANILA, Philippines \u2014 The United States, the United Kingdom and a dozen other Western and Asian countries reasserted on Sunday that China\u2019s expansive claims in the South China Sea are illegal based on a 2016 arbitration ruling.<\/p>\n

Read more Mike Waltz rejects Iran\u2019s explanation of \u2018errant\u2019 faction behind strike in Strait of Hormuz<\/a><\/p>\n

A joint statement issued by the 14 nations said they rejected \u201cdestabilizing\u201d actions in the disputed waters that threaten regional stability. The 27-nation European Union released a separate statement, reaffirming the ruling as a \u201clandmark decision in the peaceful settlement of disputes.\u201d<\/p>\n

The statements commemorated a July 12, 2016, arbitration ruling by a tribunal established in The Hague under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, saying the landmark decision is \u201cis final and legally binding.\u201d<\/p>\n

China reiterated Sunday that the ruling was \u201cnull and void and has no binding force\u201d and Beijing \u201cneither accepts nor recognizes it.\u201d<\/p>\n

China refused to join the arbitration initiated by the Philippines in 2013 after a tense standoff in the contested waters a year earlier that ended with Beijing effectively seizing a disputed shoal.<\/p>\n

Beijing rejected the 2016 ruling and continues to defend its claims to virtually the entire sea passage, a key global trade route that has long been feared as one of Asia\u2019s most active flashpoints. The areas has been the scene of repeated territorial standoffs involving China and the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe reaffirm the Arbitral Tribunal\u2019s decision that there is no legal basis for China\u2019s expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea, including those based on `historic rights,\u2019\u201d the U.S.-led statement said.<\/p>\n

The arbitration tribunal largely decided in favor of the Philippines, ruling then that under the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, \u201cthere was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources\u201d in the South China Sea outside of its regular territorial areas recognized under the convention.<\/p>\n

The convention, largely regarded as the treaty governing the world\u2019s oceans and seas, took effect in 1994 and has been ratified by more than 170 countries and parties, including China and the Philippines.<\/p>\n

Read more Prince William to join wife Kate in star-studded Royal Box for Wimbledon final<\/a><\/p>\n

In addition to the U.S. and Britain, the other countries listed in Sunday\u2019s statement were the Philippines, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Germany, Italy, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Slovenia.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe reiterate our strong opposition to any destabilizing or unilateral actions including by force or coercion that threaten peace and stability in the region,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n

The nations stressed \u201cour strong opposition to the use of coast guard, military and maritime militia forces to harass, obstruct, intimidate lawful operations by other states at sea or in the air and in so doing endanger the safety of personnel and fishermen and seriously degrade regional peace and security.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFreedom of navigation and overflight as well as other internationally lawful uses of the sea as reflected in UNCLOS\u201d must be upheld, the countries said, adding that the territorial disputes should be resolved peacefully based on the 1982 U.N. convention.<\/p>\n

In Beijing, China\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the arbitration tribunal and its ruling \u201cseriously contravene the general practice of international arbitration\u201d and \u201cgravely infringe upon China\u2019s legitimate rights as a sovereign state and state party to UNCLOS and are unjust and unlawful.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cChina opposes and will never accept any claim or action based on those awards,\u201d the Chinese foreign ministry said, adding that Beijing \u201cdoes not accept any means of third-party dispute settlement or any solution imposed on China.\u201d<\/p>\n

Territorial confrontations in the disputed waters have become more prevalent in recent years, particularly between Chinese and Philippine and Vietnamese forces and fishing fleets.<\/p>\n

Read more Trump says U.S. hit Iran very hard and the Strait of Hormuz is open<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The United States, the United Kingdom and a dozen other Western and Asian countries reasserted on Sunday that China’s expansive claims in the South China Sea are illegal based on a 2016 arbitration ruling.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4017,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,62],"tags":[12,1224,1764,1527],"class_list":["post-4018","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-world","tag-china","tag-philippines","tag-south-china-sea","tag-united-nations-convention-on-the-law-of-the-sea"],"yoast_head":"\nU.S. joins Western, Asian allies in reasserting illegality of Beijing\u2019s South China Sea claims - Home Buyer Relocation<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/homebuyerrelocation.com\/?p=4018\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"U.S. joins Western, Asian allies in reasserting illegality of Beijing\u2019s South China Sea claims - 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