The top U.S. military commander in the Indo-Pacific warned Monday that the United States will not allow China to dominate the region, accusing Beijing of using the law as a tool to justify intimidation and coercion.

Speaking by video at a regional security conference in Malaysia, Adm. Samuel Paparo said some countries were making “false claims of legitimacy” to pressure their neighbors and undermine regional stability.

“That’s not the rule of law. That’s the rule by law,” Paparo said. “That distinction between law as a tool of order versus law as a weapon of raw power is the defining fault line of our time.”

His comments come as tensions remain high in the South China Sea, where China claims vast areas also claimed by several Southeast Asian nations.

The Philippines has repeatedly clashed with Chinese vessels around disputed reefs and shoals, accusing Beijing of carrying out dangerous maneuvers, firing water cannons and blocking resupply missions. China denies the allegations and insists it has sovereignty over the disputed waters.

The United States says it does not take a position on competing territorial claims but supports freedom of navigation, international law and the rights of nations to operate in accordance with those rules.

Paparo said maritime security, freedom of the seas and open commerce are essential to stability in the Indo-Pacific.

“The United States is deterring China through strength, not through confrontation,” he said. “We will not let any nation dominate this region or sweep away the hard-fought sovereign rights of independent states.”

Earlier at the conference, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said Manila would continue to “push back” against China’s actions, arguing Beijing’s growing military presence extends beyond the South China Sea. He pointed to China’s recent ballistic missile launch into the Pacific Ocean as another example of its expanding reach.

“China is everywhere … this is a matter of concern,” Teodoro told reporters.

Despite the sharp rhetoric, officials said negotiations between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and China on a long-awaited South China Sea code of conduct are making progress.

ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn said talks had accelerated and expressed confidence that an agreement could be finalized before the end of the year.