Secretary Rubio Calls for Unified Action to Safeguard South China Sea Amid Rising Maritime Threats

At a high-level ministerial meeting held on Wednesday, Secretary Rubio delivered a compelling appeal for unified global efforts to preserve the South China Sea as a free, open, and law-governed maritime space. Emphasizing the region's significance—with trillions of dollars in commerce traversing its waters annually—he stressed the importance of defending freedom of navigation against illegal maritime claims.

Titled "Reinforcing Cooperation to Achieve a Secure and Stable Maritime Domain," the conference convened delegates from over 35 nations, including prominent partners such as Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom, the Philippines, Estonia, Greece, Romania, and The Netherlands. The agenda centered on enhancing maritime security, safeguarding international waterways, and boosting collaboration to combat common maritime threats.

Secretary Rubio explicitly denounced China’s extensive and unlawful maritime assertions in the South China Sea, condemning the coercive measures employed to enforce these claims as threats to regional stability and the global rules-based order. He reiterated the United States’ strong commitment to uphold the rights guaranteed under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, particularly freedom of navigation, overflight, and lawful commerce.

The delegates also examined a broad spectrum of maritime security challenges, ranging from illegal fishing and trafficking to the disruption of undersea cables and vital infrastructure. Rubio underscored that no single nation can effectively manage these issues independently, highlighting the necessity for stronger cooperation among aligned countries to protect their common maritime interests.