US says China's sea claims have 'no basis' in international law

SINGAPORE: Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin said yesterday that Beijing's expansive claims in the South China Sea have "no basis in international law", taking aim at China's growing assertiveness in the hotly contested waters. Austin's broadside came at the start of his first trip to Southeast Asia as US defence secretary, as he seeks to rally allies in the region as a bulwark to China. President Joe Biden's administration wants to reset relations with Asian countries and build alliances to face Beijing, after the turbulence and unpredictability of the Donald Trump era. Speaking in Singapore, Austin criticised China's actions in the…