US Senators urge Trump to take tougher line through more naval patrols in South China Sea

Senators from both sides of the aisle wrote to President Donald Trump on Wednesday urging him to take a tougher line with Beijing in the South China Sea, calling for more US naval patrols to uphold navigation rights in the disputed waterway.

The appeal, backed by three Republicans and four Democrats, reflects growing concern in Congress that the Trump administration could be ceding strategic ground to China as it seeks assistance from Beijing to pressure North Korea over its nuclear weapons programme.

The letter was signed by Senator Bob Corker, the Republican chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; Republican Senators Marco Rubio of Florida and Cory Gardner of Colorado. The Democrats are Benjamin Cardin of Maryland, the ranking Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee; Senators Jack Reed of Rhode Island, Edward Markey of Massachusetts and Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii.

The letter expresses concern that the United States had not carried out patrols upholding “freedom of navigation” in the strategic South China Sea since October 2016.

Last year, Pentagon officials privately complained that the Obama administration limited its ability to patrol the disputed waters; Secretary of State Rex Tillerson initially promised a much tougher line against Chinese antics in the South China Sea, but none has yet materialised.