The United States underscored its rejection of China’s unlawful maritime claims in the South China Sea in line with the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal Award when Secretary of State Antony Blinken addressed the East Asia Summit (EAS) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting yesterday. US Department of State spokesperson Ned Price said Blinken spoke with EAS foreign ministers and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Secretary General Lim Jock Hoi of Brunei at the virtual forum and emphasized the upholding of rules-based international order. The EAS is a meeting of 18 regional leaders for strategic dialogue and cooperation on political, security and economic challenges facing the Indo-Pacific region. The annual forum, led by the 10-member ASEAN, also involves the US, Australia, Japan, India, New Zealand, Korea, Russia and China.

Lee-Brago, P. (2021, August 6). US, at East Asia meet, rejects China sea claims. The Philippine Star, p. 2.