MANILA – China urged the Philippines to stop “hyping up” maritime disputes, including the latest incident involving blasting Philippine vessels using water cannons while undergoing a humanitarian mission for Filipino fishermen in Bajo de Masinloc on Saturday.
In a statement by China Foreign Ministry Wang Wenbin and released by the Embassy of China, he said that the Philippines should “stop its infringement of China’s sovereignty and provocation at sea.”
Wang also calls on the Philippines to “return to the right track of resolving maritime disputes through negotiation and consultation” with China to safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea.
This is after the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported that three BFAR vessels were attacked by the Chinese Coast Guard and Chinese Maritime Militia using water cannons while on their way to deliver oil subsidy and grocery packs to over 30 Filipino fishing vessels near the contested waters in the West Philippine Sea.
China again asserted what it calls its “indisputable sovereignty over Nanhai Zhudao, consisting of Dongsha Qundao, Xisha Qundao, Zhongsha Qundao and Nansha Qundao, and their adjacent waters, and has sovereign rights and jurisdiction over relevant waters”.
Wang also accused the Philippines of “sending people” for some time to “Tiexian Jiao and other uninhabited islands and reefs of China’s Nansha Islands and sending aircraft and vessels to intrude into adjacent waters and airspace of China’s Nansha Islands and Huangyan Dao.”
According to Wang, these moves severely violate China’s sovereignty and endanger China’s security. This also go against the spirit of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and undermines peace and stability in the region.
Wang added that “China has made serious de’marches for nearly 100 times” and has officially expressed their protest to the Philippines.
Meanwhile, foreign embassies in the country such as the US Embassy, Japanese Embassy and the Delegation of the European Union (EU) issued messages of support for the Philippines and condemnation for what they called China’s “aggressive and illegal actions” against BFAR vessels undergoing humanitarian and support mission for Filipino fishermen near Bajo de Masinloc.
Read full story here: https://dzrh.com.ph/post/us-japan-and-european-union-condemns-china's-%22aggressive%22-and-%22illegal%22-actions-against-bfar-vessels
The Embassy of United Kingdom also reiterated its full support for the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) with its Ambassador to the Philippines Laure Beaufils calling China Coast Guard (CCG) actions “unsafe” and “endangers lives and livelihoods and undermines regional peace and stability.”
The 🇬🇧 is aware of the unsafe actions by CCG vessels against Philippines BFAR vessels near Scarborough Shoal today. This endangers lives and livelihoods and undermines regional peace and stability. The UK reiterates its full support for UNCLOS. https://t.co/UjnoS8VN2Q
— Laure Beaufils 🇬🇧 (@LaureBeaufils) December 9, 2023
In his post on X, Canadian Ambassador David Hartman condemns what he calls “dangerous and escalatory actions” of China earlier today at Scarborough Shoal and reaffirms its support for the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal ruling, which is final and binding on the parties.
Canada condemns the dangerous and escalatory actions of the Peoples Republic of China earlier today at Scarborough Shoal. Canada reaffirms its support for the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal ruling, which is final and binding on the parties.@CanEmbPH 🇨🇦🤝🇵🇭
— David Hartman (@AmbDBHartman) December 9, 2023
Meanwhile, the Irish Embassy reiterated its support for the international rules-based order and called for all sides to “respect their legally binding obligations as set out in UNCLOS and 2016 Arbitral Award.”
Ireland is concerned with the reports of further actions against 🇵🇭 vessels in the South China Sea. We reiterate our support for the international rules-based order & call for all sides to respect their legally binding obligations as set out in UNCLOS and the 2016 Arbitral Award https://t.co/2A8odriwT7
— Irish Embassy Manila (@IrlEmbManila) December 9, 2023
The Ambassador of Finland to the Philippines Juha Pyykko reiterated and aligned his message with that of the EU and called for respect for international law.
For 🇫🇮, I reiterate the call for respect of international law and align myself with the statement of the EU Ambassador. https://t.co/VG3hdQQY4W
— Juha Pyykkö (@JuhaPyykko) December 9, 2023
The Australian Embassy also expressed concern over reports of “dangerous actions” by Chinese vessels against Philippine vessels today and reiterates the call for peace, stability and respect for UNCLOS in the South China Sea, which the Ambassador of Australia HK Yu calls “a vital international waterway for us all”.
Seriously concerned by reports of dangerous actions by Chinese vessels against Philippine vessels today. This endangers lives and livelihoods.🇦🇺 again reiterates the call for peace, stability and respect for UNCLOS in the South China Sea, a vital international waterway for us all https://t.co/hahbgr98SN
— HK Yu PSM (@AusAmbPH) December 9, 2023
