It appears that the United States isn’t too intimidated by China or North Korea despite threats from both regarding the operations in the South China Sea. In fact, the U.S. has come out and made a recent statement to China that they will continue freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea, according to a senior Navy officer. This comes as the region continues to react to a landmark Hague ruling on territorial claims in the disputed waters.

Excerpt From CNN:
The Obama administration has made it “absolutely clear” to China that the U.S. will continue engaging in flights and naval activities in the disputed waters despite objections from Beijing, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson said Tuesday. This month, an international tribunal in the Hague deemed the bulk of China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea to have no legal basis under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. The case was brought by a fellow South China Sea claimant, the Philippines. China immediately dismissed the court decision as “null and void” and said it would not affect its claims.


Advertisement