China says U.S. has ‘no right to intervene’ in South China Sea disputes

China warns US against intervention in maritime disputes with Philippines, citing no right to interfere in regional affairs.

China warned the United States on Tuesday (August 20, 2024) that it has “no right to intervene” in its maritime disputes with the Philippines after another clash near a disputed reef in the South China Sea.

China and the Philippines have had repeated confrontations in the waters over the past year, including around a warship, grounded in 1999 by Manila on the contested Second Thomas Shoal, which hosts a garrison.

Both countries said on Monday (August 19, 2024) that their coast guard ships had collided near the disputed Sabina Shoal, located 140 kilometres (86 miles) west of the Philippine island of Palawan and about 1,200 kilometres from Hainan island, the closest Chinese landmass.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea despite an international tribunal ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.

The United States condemned the “dangerous actions” against “lawful Philippine maritime operations” on Monday after the latest clash.

“These actions are the latest examples of (China) using dangerous and escalatory measures to enforce its expansive and unlawful South China Sea maritime claims,” State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said.

Asked about Patel’s remarks on Tuesday, his Chinese counterpart Mao Ning defended Beijing’s “legal measures to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests”.