MANILA, Philippines, August 28 ------ The United States, European Union, Japan and South Korea have all denounced Chinese vessels' "unlawful" and "dangerous" maneuvers against Philippine vessels during a humanitarian mission near Escoda (Sabina) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea over the weekend.
In separate statements, the three countries and the EU urged China to adhere to a rules-based order in the South China Sea, where tensions have been flaring between the Philippines and China nearly every week of August due to repeated altercations in the sea and airspace. US Ambassador MaryKay Carlson in a statement on Sunday criticized China's actions as "unsafe, unlawful, and aggressive."
On the same day, EU Ambassador to the Philippines, Luc Véron, said the Chinese Coast Guard vessels' “dangerous manoeuvres" that sought to prevent a vessel by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) from delivering supplies to Filipino fishers was "disturbing.” Meanwhile, both Japan and Korea called for China to respect international law and described its actions as being contrary to "commitments" and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), an international legal framework for all maritime activities.
China is a signatory to UNCLOS but also rejects a 2016 ruling by an arbitral tribunal constituted under UNCLOS that dismissed its sweeping claims in the South China Sea. “Another unacceptable development around Sabina Shoal. Any harassment and actions which increase tensions or obstruct freedom of navigation are not tolerated," Japanese Ambassador Endo Kazuya said on Sunday.
The embassy of South Korea stressed their support for "peace, stability, safety and a rules-based order in the South China Sea" and highlighted the "importance of freedom of navigation and overflight in accordance with international law, including UNCLOS." On Sunday, Chinese Coast Guard ships blasted water cannons and rammed BFAR vessel BFP Datu Sunday some 10 nautical miles from Escoda Shoal, a low tide elevation around 75 nautical miles away from Palawan that has become the new flashpoint between the Philippines China.
The altercation took place while the BFAR vessel was on its way to deliver diesel, food and medical supplies to Filipino fishermen operating near Escoda Shoal. The incident left BRP Datu Sanday with a damaged engine and navigation equipment that forced an "early termination" of its humanitarian mission, according to the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea. A day after, two Philippine Coast Guard vessels were again blocked by several Chinese ships during its resupply mission to Escoda Shoal.
Source: philstar.com
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