The issue came up during a House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific hearing, where Michael G. DeSombre, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, flagged Beijing’s activities in the South China Sea as a major concern for the United States.
US steps up Indo-Pacific push against China, strengthens ties with Philippines and Vietnam
The South China Sea has once again emerged as a flashpoint in US-China strategic rivalry, with the United States highlighting closer cooperation with Southeast Asian partners, especially the Philippines and Vietnam, to counter China’s growing influence across the Indo-Pacific.
The issue came up during a House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific hearing, where Michael G. DeSombre, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, flagged Beijing’s activities in the South China Sea as a major concern for the United States. “The activities of China in the South China Sea… are of utmost concern to us,” DeSombre said.
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He said the US was working closely with regional partners to maintain deterrence and stability in the region. “We engage with our allies and partners… to ensure that we have deterrence along the first island chain,” DeSombre said, while emphasising the need to preserve “peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.”
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Congresswoman Young Kim opened the hearing by accusing Beijing of expanding its military presence in the South China Sea and increasing pressure on Taiwan. She alleged that China was continuing “its campaign to turn the South China Sea into a Chinese communist lake” by transforming disputed areas into military facilities and expanding maritime claims.
Responding to questions on Washington’s message to Beijing, DeSombre said the United States was increasing coordination with allies to protect freedom of navigation. “We engage in our freedom of navigation operations quite frequently in and around Taiwan, along with our allies and partners,” he said. He also revealed that the US had “recently relocated some Coast Guard ships to the Philippines” and added more Coast Guard vessels to Guam to strengthen its presence in the region.
The Philippines was a key focus of the discussion, with Kim describing Manila as a treaty ally facing “constant gray zone coercion” from the Chinese Coast Guard.
DeSombre said Washington was continuing close engagement with the Philippines and other regional partners.
“I was just in Manila a week and a half or so ago,” he said, pointing to growing cooperation involving “Japan and the Philippines and Japan, Australia and the Philippines.”
“You’re absolutely right. They are the recipient of significant pressure from China,” he said about the Philippines.
Lawmakers also discussed reducing reliance on China for critical minerals, with Kim highlighting Vietnam’s rare earth resources and asking about expanding cooperation.
DeSombre said Vietnam could play an important role in diversifying supply chains.
“They have great mineral resources, but they’re currently unmapped,” he said.
He added that the US wanted to support Vietnam in identifying those resources and integrating them into “a supply chain that doesn’t run through China.”
On concerns related to human rights in Vietnam, DeSombre said Washington continues to raise the issue with Hanoi. “We privately raise with Vietnam those issues related to human rights,” he said, while noting that economic growth could also contribute to greater freedom over time.
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