The world will not allow China to treat the strategically important South China Sea as its "maritime empire," the US has asserted, as it vowed to support worried Southeast Asian countries against Beijing's "campaign of bullying" to control the resource-rich region. Beijing claims almost all of the 1.3 million square mile South China Sea as its sovereign territory. China has been building military bases on artificial islands in the region also claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Beijing has impeded commercial activity like fishing or mineral exploration by countries like Vietnam and the Philippines, claiming that the ownership of territory belonged to China for hundreds of years. Asserting that the "Chinese predatory world view" has no place in the 21st century, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday categorically rejected the territorial claims made by Beijing in the South China Sea. "The world will not allow Beijing to treat the South China Sea as its maritime empire. America stands with our Southeast Asian allies and partners in protecting their sovereign rights to offshore resources, consistent with their rights and obligations under international law," Pompeo said in a major policy announcement.