China, for all its powerful influence all over the globe, its magnanimity and friendly relations with many countries, and its leading role in the world economy, still has to contend with its international image in connection with its “aggressive” behavior in the South China Sea.
Lately, water cannon attacks by the Chinese Coast Guard on Philippine civilian vessels have scaled up. The latest was when three CCG ships fired water cannons at two Philippine vessels near the Scarborough Shoal, also known as Bajo de Masinloc, in the West Philippine Sea.
Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesman for the West Philippine Sea, said the two vessels were patrolling the area and distributing food and fuel to Filipino fishermen in the area when they were harassed.
It was the latest flare-up of tensions between the two countries in the disputed waters.
Last March, Chinese coast guard ships fired water cannons at a Philippine vessel on a resupply mission to a contingent of Filipino marines on another contested South China Sea feature, Second Thomas Shoal, causing “heavy damages.”
As this developed, the Philippines expressed appreciation for the Group of Seven’s (G7) rejection of China’s “baseless and expansive” claims in the South China Sea, as well as its dangerous maneuvers against Filipino vessels within Manila’s maritime territory.
The Department of Foreign Affairs welcomed G7's commitment to the rule of law and the rules-based maritime order anchored on the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), as well as its commitment to sustainable and inclusive economic development in the Indo-Pacific.
G7 is composed of Canada, France, the United States, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom, and represents the world's leading industrialized democracies. The G7 issued a communiqué opposing China’s “dangerous use” of coast guard and maritime militia in asserting its claim over the SCS.
The Group of Seven stressed its “vision of a stable and secure Indo-Pacific region, and stands firm against any actions that undermine international security and stability.”
“We want to see a South China Sea of peace, stability and prosperity, and the cessation of interference, obstruction and harassment of the Philippines’ legal activities within our recognized maritime entitlements,” it added.
While the Philippines is firmly committed to UNCLOS and the binding Arbitral Award of 2016, China seems adamant and maintains its intransigence on the SCS issue.
We reiterate here the need for all nations to respect and adhere to international law and the freedom of navigation. Both are essential to ensuring global prosperity, peace and stability.
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