Ambassadors from several countries expressed their concern and alarm over the collision incident between a China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel and Philippine vessels in the disputed West Philippine Sea as they backed the Philippines’ position of upholding maritime order based on a United Nations (UN) convention.
The ambassadors of Japan, Australia, European Union, Germany, and the Netherlands took to X (formerly Twitter) to sound the alarm on China’s maneuvers in the region.
The United States and Canada have earlier condemned China for its conduct.
“Seriously concerned about and alarmed by the collision between Chinese and Philippines vessels. (Japan) strongly opposes any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion. We stand with/by PH’s position; upholding maritime order based on UNCLOS & 2016 Arbitral Award,” Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko wrote.
German Ambassador to Manila Andreas Pfaffernosche reiterated the international community’s call for China to uphold maritime laws in accordance to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the landmark convention that was the basis of the Philippines’ arbitral win over China’s nine-dash line claim.
“(Germany) is very concerned about recent confrontations in the South Cina Sea involving Chinese coast guard ships and maritime militia vessels in the exclusive economic zone of the (Philippines),” he said.
“(Germany) calls on all parties to act in accordance with UNCLOS-rules and to respect the 2016 arbitral award,” he added.
Australian Ambassador Hae Kyong Yu also called out China’s “dangerous manoeuvres” in the disputed waters.
“Australia is concerned by China’s dangerous manoeuvres that damaged (Philippine) vessels and disrupted a (Philippine) resupply mission in the (Philippines’) EEZ,” she said.
“The South China Sea is a vital international waterway for us all. We again call for peace, stability & respect for UNCLOS,” the envoy added.
EU Ambassador to Manila Luc Veron blasted the “very disturbing” incidents, referring to recent and successive tensions between the Philippines and China.
“These incidents, their repetition and intensification are dangerous and very disturbing. We join the Philippines in its call for the full observance of International Law in the South China Sea,” he wrote.
Netherlands Ambassador to Manila Marielle Geraedts echoed her colleagues’ concerns as she retweeted the post of the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTFWPS).
“Another worrying incident. Glad nobody got hurt. The Netherlands stands with the Philippines in its call for the full observance of International Law in the South China Sea,” she wrote.
The Netherlands is home to the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), which handed to the Philippines its landmark 2016 arbitral tribunal win against China’s sweeping claims that overlaps on the territories of the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, and Vietnam.
The ambassadors’ statements came after the NTFWPS reported that a CCG vessel collided with a Philippine Army-contracted resupply civilian boat and a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel while on a resupply mission to a grounded Philippine vessel in the Ayungin Shoal.
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