US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper answers to Fox News on August 21, 2019. (Photo: defense.gov)

In a statement, the Department said China continues to interfere in Vietnam’s East Sea oil activities and this directly violates Chinese Minister of Defense Wei Fenghe’s pledge at the Shangri-La Dialogue that China would stick to the path of peaceful development. China's actions contrast with the US vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific region in which all nations, large and small, are secure in their sovereignty, free from coercion, and able to pursue economic growth consistent with accepted international rules and norms, it said.

According to the statement, China will not win the trust of its neighbours nor the respect of the international community by continuing its bullying tactics.  China’s coercion of ASEAN claimants, deployment of offensive military systems, and enforcement of an unlawful maritime claim undermine China’s credibility, the statement added, and said the US will continue to support its allies and partners in ensuring maritime freedom and economic opportunities in the Into-Pacific region.