The Philippines celebrated on Friday the 8th anniversary of the 2016 Arbitral Award, which firmly rejected China’s nine-dash line claim in the South China Sea (SCS), a position that continues to gain overwhelming support from Manila’s international allies.
US Secretary Anthony Blinken called on China to stop its harassment, specifically the “water cannons, dangerous maneuvers, and destructive tactics – including ramming, forcible towing, and boarding that has resulted in damage to Philippine vessels and injury to Philippine service members.”
Blinken urged China to abide by the 2016 arbitral ruling and “cease its dangerous and destabilizing conduct, and to comport its conduct as well as its territorial and maritime claims in the South China Sea.”
During the West Philippines Sea (WPS) conference in Manila, US Ambassador Marykay Carlson expressed her country’s unwavering support for the Philippines and its legal maritime claims as a significant ally in the Indo-Pacific region.
“With the backing of an increasingly interconnected latticework of alliances and partnerships, the United States continues to urge the PRC (People’s Republic of China) to cease escalatory and dangerous harassment of Philippine vessels lawfully operating in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone; to stop infringing on the Philippines’ rights to explore, conserve, and manage natural resources; and to cease interfering with freedom of navigation and overflight of all states lawfully operating in the region,” Carlson said.
Australia, Canada, Japan, and France extended the same support and declared continuous commitment to recognize the Philippines’ sovereign rights in the SCS or WPS as concluded in the 2016 arbitral award.
“Friends, let me be unequivocally clear that the Philippines must be able to exercise freedom of navigation as well as enjoy the sovereign rights to which it is entitled within its exclusive economic zone,” Canadian Ambassador to Philippines David Hartman said.
“China’s use of water cannons, dangerous maneuvers and ramming or boarding of Philippine vessels, the use of weapons such as knives and spears to disable Philippine vessels and injure Philippine personnel is utterly inconsistent with the PRC’s obligations under international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea,” Hartman explained.
Expressing deep concern, Hartman said, “these destabilizing actions jeopardize regional peace and prosperity throughout the Indo-Pacific, and all members of the international community who are committed to the defense and promotion of the rules-based international order have a shared responsibility to call them out.”
Furthermore, Japan promised to stand united with the Philippines in “navigating these uncertain waters and uphold the fundamental principles that safeguard our shared waters” and assured that the country has the support of many “like-minded countries.”
The European Union, in a statement, underscored the importance of finalizing negotiations through Code of Conduct in the South China Sea and urged for continuous dialogue that is consistent with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and international law.
