Issue South China Sea disputes and Chinese structures in the Yellow Sea

Summary

The US criticises China's effective control of artificial islands in the South China Sea as a threat to regional stability and to free and secure world trade routes. While endorsing peaceful settlement among the parties, Washington asserts freedom of navigation for warships and aircraft and deepens military cooperation with claimants such as the Philippines and Vietnam. China presents its activities as legitimate defence of territorial sovereignty and maritime rights, based on the nine-dash line and historical claims, and seeks to exclude outside interference through direct talks with claimants. Territorial and jurisdictional disputes in the South and East China Seas, friction over US freedom of navigation operations and China's growing structures and maritime activity in the Yellow Sea are emerging issues. The report advises Korea to back settlement through dialogue among the parties, support ASEAN's Outlook on the Indo-Pacific and the conduct-declaration guidelines, and answer Chinese structures in the Provisional Measures Zone with diplomatic protests and proportional countermeasures.