U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday said that bullying is threatening rules-based maritime order in the South China Sea, in a thinly veiled criticism of the Chinese regime. “In the South China Sea, we have seen dangerous encounters between vessels at sea and provocative actions to advance unlawful maritime claims,” Blinken said. “The United States has made clear its concerns regarding actions that intimidate and bully other states from lawfully accessing their maritime resources.” “Efforts to resolve maritime disputes through threat or use of force flout these principles,” Blinken added, referring to principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter. Blinken made the remarks during a United Nations Security Council meeting on maritime security on Aug. 9. The online meeting was chaired by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “When a state faces no consequences for ignoring these rules, it fuels greater impunity and instability everywhere,” he warned. The Chinese …