U.S. Points Fingers at China, Russia for Summit Fail as South China Sea Tensions Rise

The failure to adopt a joint statement at the East Asia Summit (EAS) has sparked attention, with the U.S. attributing the breakdown to opposition from China and Russia. Both countries reportedly rejected provisions that labeled areas such as the Korean Peninsula, the South China Sea, the Middle East, and Ukraine as regional threats.

On Saturday, a U.S. official noted that a major sticking point was the disagreement over the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in relation to the South China Sea. ASEAN member states had pushed to include the issue in the final statement, but China and Russia blocked the proposal. Despite strong backing for the statement from countries such as South Korea, Japan, and the United States, the effort to adopt it ultimately failed.

One of the most controversial issues at this summit was China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea. China’s claims have led to ongoing conflicts with Southeast Asian nations like the Philippines. The United States and other countries have voiced concerns about China’s actions, and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has also criticized China’s behavior.

In response, Chinese Premier Li Qiang warned against geopolitical conflict arising from bloc formations in Asia, indirectly criticizing the U.S. and Japan. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also accused the U.S. of politicizing the statement, suggesting this contributed to its failure. As tensions in East Asia continue to escalate, the South China Sea remains a key flashpoint in international relations.