After Washington last week hardened its position by explicitly rejecting Chinese maritime claims in the South China Sea, US. embassies in the region produced an unprecedented flurry of op-eds and statements criticising Beijing’s actions.  China’s response was fiery, accusing Washington of “defaming China with untrue words so as to mislead the public” in the region. China “couldn’t afford allowing the US to make appreciable gains in turning regional opinion”, said Collin Koh Swee Lean, a Research Fellow at the RSIS in Singapore. “At least some of the Southeast Asian governments… may secretly, if not publicly, welcome the latest Pompeo statement and thereby possibly be emboldened to resist its moves in the disputed waters.”