Mike Pompeo speaks to Brunei FM, reaffirms US opposition to unlawful China maritime claims

Washington [US], Aug 5 (ANI): US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo on Tuesday spoke with Bruneian Foreign Minister II Erywan Yusof and "reaffirmed" Washington's support for Southeast Asian coastal states upholding their sovereign rights, in the light of China's coercion to push its unlawful maritime claims in South China.
"Secretary of State Michael R Pompeo spoke today with Bruneian Foreign Minister II Erywan Yusof. Secretary Pompeo reaffirmed US support for Southeast Asian coastal states upholding their sovereign rights and interests under international law and stressed US opposition to PRC efforts to use coercion to push its unlawful South China Sea maritime claims," Principal Deputy Spokesperson Cale Brown said.
"Secretary Pompeo and Foreign Minister II Erywan discussed the importance of continued bilateral security relations and expressed their commitment to work toward strengthening them," the Deputy Spokesperson said.
Earlier on August 3, Pompeo had discussed with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi bilateral defence ties between and regional tensions over China's claim that it owns most of the South China Sea.
According to the readout from US State Department, Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo spoke with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi about the continued, strong US-Indonesia Strategic Partnership and the two countries' shared goal of respect for international law in the South China Sea. (ANI)