The United States rejects China's maritime claims in the South China Sea beyond what it is permitted under international law and stands with Southeast Asian nations resisting its pressure, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday.

Blinken made the remarks in a call with Philippine Foreign Minister Teodoro Locsin, the US State Department said in a statement, in which he also stressed the importance of a long-standing defence agreement between the allies and its clear application if Manila came under attack in the South China Sea.

"Secretary Blinken pledged to stand with Southeast Asian claimants in the face of PRC pressure," it said, referring to the People's Republic of China.

"Secretary Blinken stressed...