HistoryDiff

The United States takes no position on the underlying sovereignty claims in the South China Sea, but strongly upholds freedom of navigation, freedom of overflight, and the universal application of international law, particularly UNCLOS.

The U.S. government considers the South China Sea a strategically vital sea line of communication (SLOC) through which approximately $3–5 trillion in trade passes annually. Keeping these waters free and open is deemed a vital U.S. national interest. Since the 1990s, the U.S. Navy has conducted regular Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOPs), sailing warships within 12 nautical miles of China's artificial islands to demonstrate in practice that China's excessive maritime claims are inconsistent with UNCLOS.

Regarding the 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling, the United States fully supports it as "a final and legally binding award under international law" and has repeatedly called on China to comply. Critics, including China, note the irony that the U.S. itself has not ratified UNCLOS, although Washington argues its conduct conforms to UNCLOS as customary international law.

Under the Biden and subsequent administrations, the United States has deepened multilateral security cooperation under the "Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)" framework with the Philippines, Japan, Australia, India, and other partners. In 2023, the Biden administration explicitly stated that the 1951 U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty applies to armed attacks on Philippine public vessels, aircraft, and armed forces in the South China Sea — significantly strengthening its alliance commitment to Manila. The U.S. has consistently criticized China's militarization of artificial islands, interference with Philippine resupply missions at Second Thomas Shoal, and intimidation of Vietnamese fishermen as serious threats to the rules-based international order.

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