Biden Administration Backs Trump Stance on South China Sea

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Biden's administration has backed a Trump-era policy rejecting China's territorial claims on the South China Sea. 

"Axios Media" highlights the importance of Secretary of State Anthony Blinken's statement ahead of the fifth anniversary of the ruling backing the Philippine government against the Chinese government's maritime claims in the region by the international tribunal. 

However, the Chinese government has ignored this ruling. New York Times claimed, "China's behavior in the South China Sea harms the livelihood of Filipinos who have been fishing in the area for years." 

Blinken stated "There is no greater threat in the rules-based maritime order than in the South China Sea... China continues to oppress and intimidate coastal states in Southeast Asia,  threatening freedom of navigation in this crucial global pathway. 

Blinked added, "The United States reassures its July 13, 2020 policy in regards to the demands of the South China Sea... as it reassures that any aggression on Philippine's armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft in the South China Sea would invoke U.S. mutual defense commitments." 

According to the Associated Press, the official position of the U.S. before July 13th, 2020, was that "any maritime disputes between China and its neighbors be resolved peacefully through UN-backed arbitration." 

According to "Axios," it is worth noting that the former Obama administration was heavily criticized for its light-handed approach in the South China Sea as China openly disregarded and violated international law.