US criticizes China’s nature reserve claim in the South China Sea

The US State Department has accused China of attempting to restrict Filipino fishing vessels from accessing the Scarborough Reef in the contested South China Sea. The US dismissed China’s claims of the area being a “nature reserve” as a pretext for territorial expansion. Tensions have escalated recently, with Chinese ships firing water cannons at Filipino vessels. The Philippines has sought international arbitration against China’s extensive claims, which China has refused to acknowledge.

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