Pentagon chief Llyod Austin said Tuesday that Beijing’s expansive claims in the South China Sea have “no basis in international law”, pointing at China’s growing assertiveness in the disputed waters.
“We continue to support the region’s coastal states in upholding their rights under international law,” he said at the start of a trip to Southeast Asia. He also said, “the US won’t flinch when our interests are threatened, yet we do not seek confrontation” with China.
“I am committed to pursuing a constructive, stable relationship with China, including stronger crisis communications with the People’s Liberation Army,” he added.
China claims almost the complete resource-rich South China Sea, through which trillions of dollars in shipping trade pass annually, with overlapping claims from Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam.
