US, allies oppose Beijing’s activities in South China Sea

Tribune News Service

Ajay Banerjee

New Delhi, May 3

With the threat of an expansionist China looming large, the US and its Indo-Pacific allies — Australia, Japan and Philippines — today opposed Beijing’s activities in the South China Sea and its attempts to unilaterally alter the maritime status quo.

Austin flays damage to Philippine vessels

• Damage to Philippine vessels and injuries to their crew in the South China Sea is “irresponsible behaviour” in disregard of international law, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said, weighing in on the latest flare-up involving China
• “Our commitment to the treaty is ironclad and we stand with the Philippines,” he said

In two separate meetings at Hawaii, China was the prime topic of discussion. The US, Australia, Japan and Philippines conducted a meeting at the US Indo-Pacific Command headquarters in Hawaii.

Later, the US, Australia and Japan conducted a ministerial trilateral. The US Department of Defence (DoD) said on Friday that Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles, Japanese Minister of Defense Kihara Minoru, and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin convened a trilateral ministerial meeting.

“The ministers reiterated their strong opposition to any attempts by China to unilaterally change the status quo by force or coercion in the South and East China Seas. This included China’s destabilising actions in the South China Sea, such as unsafe encounters at sea and in the air, militarisation of disputed features, and the dangerous use of coast guard vessels and maritime militia, including interference with routine maritime operations, and efforts to disrupt other countries’ offshore resource exploration,” the US DoD said.

“They strongly objected to China’s claims and actions that are inconsistent with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and which undermine international rules, standards, and norms,” the DoD said.

Earlier in day, the ministers of the US, Australia and Japan had held a meeting Philippines Secretary of National Defence Gilberto Teodoro.

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