China on Tuesday described a U.S. rejection of its maritime claims in the South China Sea as completely unjustified and accused the U.S. of attempting to sow discord between China and the Southeast Asian countries with which it has territorial disputes.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington said that a statement issued by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo deliberately distorts the facts and disregards the efforts of China and the others to achieve peace and stability in the South China Sea.
Pompeo, in a statement released Monday, said the U.S. now regards virtually all Chinese maritime claims outside its internationally recognized waters to be illegitimate. The new position does not involve disputes over land features that are above sea level, which are considered to be "territorial" in nature.
Pompeo's statement was a major change in South China Sea policy, said Zhu Feng, the director of a South China Sea studies centre at Nanjing University. He said other countries challenging China's claims may take a more aggressive stance because of America's openly stated support. He advised against a strong response from China, saying that current U.S. policy toward the country is being driven in a significant way by U.S. President Donald Trump's reelection considerations.
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