US and 13 Allies Reject China's South China Sea Claims

The Government of the United States and 13 other Western and Asian nations issued a joint statement on April 7, 2026, asserting that China's expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea are illegal. The signatory nations, which include the United Kingdom, Japan, Australia, and the Philippines, cited a 2016 arbitration ruling by a tribunal in The Hague established under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

That ruling found no legal basis for China's claims to historic rights over resources outside its recognized territorial areas. The joint statement specifically condemned the use of maritime militia, military, and coast guard forces to intimidate or harass lawful operations at sea.

China has rejected the 2016 ruling and continues to defend its claims to the trade route. In response, the coalition of nations called for the peaceful resolution of territorial disputes and the preservation of freedom of navigation.