Australia says China’s South China Sea claims are unlawful

Australia has also opinionated with the United States on rejecting China’s claims in the South China Sea. At first, it was the United States this month which rejected all claims of China in most of the parts of the South China Sea. This also blocked China’s claim on offshore resources.  

Australia has rejected the maritime claims of China on the islands in the South China Sea. Australia has claimed that China was inconsistent with the Law of Sea-based in the US Convention. China’s assertion on the sovereignty of Parcel and Spratly Islands was also not accepted by Australia based on the objections by the Philippines and Vietnam.

China claimed 90% of the rich waters but countries like Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Brunei also claim parts of it. A trade of about $3 million is carried out by China through the waterways every year. That had been paused currently. The US Secretary has said that China has no legal base to claim its right on the South China Sea.

The world would not allow China to treat the South China Sea as its maritime empire, Pompeo said, adding that the United States would support countries that believed China has violated their maritime claims.

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