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US stance on South China Sea may pave way for stronger responses
It could also spur S-E Asian states to stand up to China over rival claims in contested waters
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A file photo from 2016 showing a Chinese coast guard ship near Scarborough Shoal, a reef in the South China Sea that is claimed by both China and the Philippines.
PHOTO: NYTIMES
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The United States' policy shift on China's claims in the South China Sea - rejecting them as illegal under international law - may pave the way for more forceful responses from Washington over Chinese maritime activities in the contested waters, said analysts.
America's strong stance on the issue could also encourage South-east Asian claimant countries to stand up to China, although there are limits to doing so, the analysts added.
