14 Nations Reaffirm South China Sea Ruling

The United States, United Kingdom, and 12 other nations issued a joint statement reaffirming that China's expansive claims in the South China Sea are illegal under a 2016 arbitration ruling.

China rejected the statement, calling the tribunal award ‘illegal’ and insisting it has no binding force.

The joint statement marks a coordinated diplomatic pushback against Beijing's maritime assertions in the resource-rich waterway.

The 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration had found China's claims invalid under international law.