US, South Korea call out Beijing's 'unlawful maritime claims'

MANILA, Philippines — The United States and South Korea have called out Beijng's "unlawful maritime claims" in the South China Sea following high-level talks in Washington last week.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speaking alongside his South Korean counterpart and defense chiefs from both countries, directly challenged Beijing's behavior in the hotly contested South China Sea during a press conference after the 2+2 ministerial meeting on Thursday, October 31.

He stressed the US' commitment to "upholding freedom of navigation and freedom of overflight" in the disputed waters, where the Philippines and other claimant states have repeatedly faced Chinese aggression. 

"In the face of China’s unlawful maritime claims in the South China Sea, we remain committed to upholding freedom of navigation and freedom of overflight," Blinken said.

Without naming China, both nations also took a firm stance against unilateral attempts to alter the status quo in Indo-Pacific waters, according to a joint press statement on Friday, November 1.

The US and South Korea "underscored the importance of maritime safety and security" and pledged to uphold international law as enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Among the principles cited is the "freedom of navigation and overflight and other lawful uses of the sea, and peaceful resolution of disputes as essential for regional stability and prosperity."

China is a signatory to UNCLOS but also rejects a 2016 ruling by an arbitral tribunal constituted under UNCLOS that invalidated its extensive claims in the South China Sea.

The two countries also expressed concern over Chinese military drills around Taiwan, whose proximity to the Philippines has long raised concerns that a US-China showdown could spill over into Philippine waters and airspace. The US sees the Philippines as a key location in the region for monitoring and potentially countering China’s military activities.

Beyond maritime issues, the two allied countries pressed China to rein in North Korea and stop supporting Russia's military industry.  

The October 31 meeting among Blinken, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, South Korea's Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul and Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun comes less than a month after the Philippines and South Korea elevated their diplomatic ties to a strategic partnership.

A strategic partnership is seen as the highest level of bilateral relations that two nations can have and signals nations' intent to develop long-term relations. The Philippines maintains these ties with Japan, Vietnam, Australia, and most recently. South Korea.

The upgrade in ties between the Philippines and South Korea included the signing of six agreements, one of which established closer cooperation between the Philippine Coast Guard and the Korean Coast Guard.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the Coast Guard agreement was forged to protect maritime order and safety in the Asia-Pacific region. 

In September, Korean Ambassador Lee Sang-hwa said South Korea's defense ministry is "giving a thought" to a potential visiting forces agreement with the Philippines, but clarified that no concrete steps have been taken yet.