The PRC, Vietnam, and Taiwan every declare sovereignty over the Paracel Islands. All three claimants require both permission or advance notification earlier than a army vessel or warship engages in “harmless passage” by way of their territorial sea, in violation of worldwide regulation. Underneath customary worldwide regulation as mirrored within the Regulation of the Sea Conference, the ships of all States – together with their warships – take pleasure in the proper of harmless passage by way of a territorial sea. The unilateral imposition of any authorization or advance-notification requirement for harmless passage is illegal. By participating in harmless passage with out giving prior notification to or asking permission from any of the claimants, america challenged these illegal restrictions imposed by the PRC, Taiwan, and Vietnam. The US demonstrated that harmless passage is not topic to such restrictions.
Illegal and sweeping maritime claims within the South China Sea pose a severe risk to the liberty of the seas, together with the freedoms of navigation and overflight, free commerce and unimpeded commerce, and freedom of financial alternative for South China Sea littoral nations.
The US challenges extreme maritime claims around the globe whatever the identification of the claimant. Customary worldwide regulation mirrored within the 1982 Regulation of the Sea Conference protects sure rights, freedoms and lawful makes use of of the ocean loved by all nations. The worldwide neighborhood has an everlasting function in preserving the liberty of the seas, which is crucial to world safety, stability, and prosperity.
The US upholds freedom of navigation for all nations as a precept. So long as some international locations proceed to say and assert limits on rights that exceed their authority beneath worldwide regulation, america will proceed to defend the rights and freedoms of the ocean assured to all. No member of the worldwide neighborhood needs to be intimidated or coerced into giving up their rights and freedoms.
U.S. forces function within the South China Sea every day, as they’ve for greater than a century. They routinely function in shut coordination with like-minded allies and companions that share our dedication to uphold a free and open worldwide order that promotes safety and prosperity. All of our operations are performed safely, professionally, and in accordance with customary worldwide regulation. The operations reveal that america will fly, sail, and function wherever worldwide regulation permits – whatever the location of extreme maritime claims and no matter present occasions.
