Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 15) — Three more nations have expressed support for Manila and called out Beijing’s recent actions in the West Philippine Sea — particularly the Chinese Coast Guard’s (CCG) use of a blinding laser against a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ship last week.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Canadian Embassy said Chinese activities that disrupt Philippine vessels’ lawful operations violate international law and undermine regional peace and stability.Canada underscores its firm and unwavering support for the Philippines in the face of coercive actions of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in the South China Sea (SCS),” Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines David Hartman said on Twitter.As a Party to UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea), the PRC must comply with its obligations, including notably the 2016 SCS Arbitration Decision,” he added.On Feb. 6, the CCG aimed a military-grade laser at the PCG’s BRP Malapascua, temporarily blinding its crew members. The incident happened while the ship was on its way to deliver supplies to military personnel onboard the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal.
READ: China accuses PH of ‘intruding’ into its waters after laser-pointing incident
Besides Canada, the United Kingdom and Germany also expressed serious concern over the CCG’s action, which they called “intimidatory.“These dangerous acts are in violation of international law,” the British Embassy in Manila said in a separate statement.We call to refrain from any conduct that increase tensions. All states must abide by #UNCLOS,” German Ambassador to Manila Anke Reiffenstuel also said.Both embassies cited the Philippines’ arbitral victory, stressing that it is “final and legally binding.The nations were referring to the 2016 ruling in The Hague, which recognized the Philippines’ rights within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and invalidated Beijing’s sweeping claims over the South China Sea.The Philippines has asserted that Ayungin Shoal is part of its EEZ, which means it is entitled to exercise sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the area without any intervention from another country.China, however, insisted that the shoal is part of its territory.In a press conference hours after the Philippines filed a diplomatic protest over the use of laser, China again dismissed the landmark arbitral decision as “illegal, null and void.
Earlier, the United States, Australia and Japan also issued statements in support of the Philippines.
The US also reaffirmed that an armed attack on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft in the West Philippine Sea would invoke its commitments under its mutual defense treaty with Manila.
