Biden backs Trump rejection of China's South China Sea claim
https://apnews.com/article/business-government-and-politics-china-south-china-sea-5ea0eeb76a57d529dc982caeb802c456
Biden backs Trump rejection of Chinas South China Sea claim
By MATTHEW LEE
WASHINGTON (AP) The Biden administration on Sunday upheld a Trump-era rejection of nearly all of Chinas significant maritime claims in the South China Sea. The administration also warned China that any attack on the Philippines in the flashpoint region would draw a U.S. response under a mutual defense treaty.
The stern message from Secretary of State Antony Blinken came in a statement released ahead of this weeks fifth anniversary of an international tribunals ruling in favor of the Philippines, against Chinas maritime claims around the Spratly Islands and neighboring reefs and shoals. China rejects the ruling.
Ahead of the fourth anniversary of the ruling last year, the Trump administration came out in favor of the ruling but also said it regarded as illegitimate virtually all Chinese maritime claims in the South China Sea outside Chinas internationally recognized waters. Sundays statement reaffirms that position, which had been laid out by Trumps secretary of state, Mike Pompeo.
Nowhere is the rules-based maritime order under greater threat than in the South China Sea, Blinken said, using language similar to Pompeos. He accused China of continuing to coerce and intimidate Southeast Asian coastal states, threatening freedom of navigation in this critical global throughway.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
It's good that Biden is telling Xi Jinping to go fuck himself with his bullshit land grab.