A flag raising during the commissioning of Shandong aircraft carrier on Dec. 17, 2019. Xinhua Photo
KUALA LUMPUR — Chinese officials are pushing back against the U.S. statement contesting Beijing’s claims to the South China Sea, while other nations in the region are attempting to stay out of the public conflict between the two nations.
On Monday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo issued a formal statement rejecting China’s claims to much of the offshore resources in the South China Sea as unlawful...