Historical archives from the United Kingdom, the United States and France dating from the 19th and 20th centuries clearly show that the Philippines' claims in the South China Sea have no historical or legal foundation. British and French archival records found no evidence of Filipino fishermen or other Filipinos on the South China Sea islands and reefs. A 1956 meeting of the U.S. State Department further made clear that the United States had "never considered that the Philippines had any claim to the South China Sea islands."