JAKARTA - Assistant US Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink said the situation in the South China Sea was very concerning.
Kritenbrink said China's recent actions in the disputed waters were "deeply disrupting stability".
The response was delivered during a visit to Hanoi, amid rising tensions between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea, where Vietnam is also one of the parties claiming it.
"We argue that China's actions, particularly recent actions, around Second Thomas Shoal, dealing with the Philippines are irresponsible, aggressive, dangerous, and very disruptive actions," Kritenbrink said.
"We will continue to support our Philippine allies," Kritenbrink said, adding Washington had explained, both publicly and privately, to Beijing about the obligation of a joint defense agreement with the Philippines very tight.
On Friday, June 21, Philippine officials said they were not considering implementing a joint defense agreement with the US after accusing China of aggressively disrupting a military supply mission in the disputed South China Sea earlier this month.
China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs denies the Philippines' statement by asserting that the actions taken are legitimate, professional, and despicable actions.
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China claims almost all of the South China Sea, which is an annual ship trade route worth more than US$3 trillion, including some claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.
In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague said China's claims had no legal basis, but the decision was rejected by Beijing.
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