US Backs South China Sea Ruling While Opposing ICC

The United States has signed a statement supporting the Permanent Court of Arbitration's 2016 ruling on the South China Sea, which invalidated most of China's maritime claims under the nine-dash line. This comes as the US simultaneously seeks to dismantle the International Criminal Court (ICC). The South China Sea tribunal was established under Annex VII of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to which the US is not a party. The US is also not a party to the ICC. This dual stance highlights a selective approach to international law, where the US upholds rulings that challenge other states' sovereignty while opposing courts that could assert jurisdiction over its own actions. The contradiction raises questions about the consistency of American foreign policy.