China, US Present Contrasting Views On South China Sea Security

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 13  (Bernama) -- China and the United States (US) have presented contrasting views on challenges to South China Sea stability, with Beijing urging regional countries to resist external interference and Washington warning against coercive maritime activities.

Speaking in separate special addresses on the first day of the ninth MIMA South China Sea Conference 2026, both delegates called for maritime cooperation and progress towards a Code of Conduct (COC), while differing sharply over international law and the regional security environment.

Minister Counsellor at the Chinese Embassy in Malaysia Lin Shiguang said China and ASEAN countries had the wisdom and capability to manage maritime differences, stressing that disputes should not disrupt their broader relationship.

“The South China Sea issue should not be allowed to define and disrupt the broader picture of China-ASEAN relations,” he said at the conference themed “South China Sea 2026: Rules, Resilience, and Regional Order.”

Lin said that certain extra-regional forces stoked tensions and drove wedges between China and regional countries, urging opposition to actions he said undermined their shared interests.

He reiterated Beijing’s rejection of the South China Sea Arbitration Award, describing it as “illegal, null and void.” The South China Sea Arbitration is an international arbitral tribunal under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) regarding maritime rights in the South China Sea. 

Meanwhile, US Embassy in Malaysia Chargé d’affaires David Gamble said regional maritime rights faced pressure from “gray zone” tactics, which he described as incremental actions designed to remain below the threshold that would trigger a response.

“Each act on its own may look small. However, together, they try to make it normal that power, not law, decides who may use the sea,” he said.

Gamble maintained that the arbitral ruling was final and legally binding. 

On the way forward, Lin called for adherence to international law, including UNCLOS, full implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, and accelerated COC consultations.

He also stressed that transit passage through the Strait of Malacca must be respected, saying China would work with stakeholders to safeguard navigation while respecting the littoral states’ existing joint management mechanism.

Lin also proposed closer cooperation in marine environmental protection, fisheries, scientific research, maritime law enforcement, and joint development.

On Malaysia-China ties, he said a maiden visit to China in June 2025 by a Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) vessel would be followed by a Chinese Coast Guard vessel’s port call to Malaysia. 

He added that their bilateral dialogue mechanism on maritime issues had convened twice.

Gamble, meanwhile, outlined three priorities: stronger maritime domain awareness and information sharing, a COC consistent with UNCLOS, and ASEAN unity.

He said US assistance to Malaysia included surveillance radars, ScanEagle drones, information processing tools, and training to strengthen its ability to monitor maritime areas and protect its sovereignty.

“The United States respects ASEAN centrality. Upholding international law does not mean choosing a bloc. It means choosing the rules that protect every nation, large and small,” he said.

Organised by the Maritime Institute of Malaysia (MIMA), the conference opened at a prominent hotel in Kuala Lumpur today and brought together diplomatic representatives, policymakers, maritime security professionals, and academic researchers to discuss maritime legal frameworks, resilience, and regional cooperation.

Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Hasbi Habibollah officiated at the opening and delivered the keynote address. Hasbi reaffirmed Malaysia’s commitment to international law, including UNCLOS, and to maintaining the South China Sea as a zone of peace and economic vitality.

-- BERNAMA