AP PHOTOThe US has been expanding its activities around the Indo-Pacific to counter sweeping territorial claims from China, including regularly sailing through and flying over the Taiwan Strait and in the South China Sea. He added that "China has indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and the adjacent waters." China and the Philippines have conflicting claims over parts of the South China Sea which Manila calls the West Philippine Sea as it falls within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and was affirmed by an arbitral ruling in 2016. "Because it is a dispute between China and the Philippines only the two countries should talk," Mamba quoted Sun as saying. "They told me once China opens up [after the pandemic], I will be one of the priorities," Mamba said.
