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FOREIGN VESSELS The Philippine military says it has not yet finished counting the Chinese ships still on the Juan Felipe reef off Bataraza, Palawan. The photo taken on March 7 shows some of the 220 Chinese ships anchored in disputed waters in the South China Sea. —REUTERS
MANILA, Philippines – More countries have raised the alarm over actions that increase tensions in the South China Sea amid the presence of Chinese vessels in the Western Philippine Sea, but the Chinese embassy in Manila did not allow any of that. as he criticized nations for commenting. “
Through Twitter, the Canadian ambassador to the Philippines voiced his opposition to “recent Chinese actions” on the contested waterway.
“Canada opposes recent Chinese actions in the South China Sea, including off the coast of the Philippines, which increase tensions and undermine regional stability and the rules-based international order,” Ambassador Peter MacArthur tweeted on Thursday.
Canada opposes recent Chinese actions in the South China Sea, including off the coast of the Philippines, which increase tensions and undermine regional stability and the rules-based international order.
– Peter MacArthur🇨🇦 (@AmbMacArthur) March 24, 2021
Meanwhile, the European Union (EU) called on countries that “unilaterally undermine” international law and maritime security in the South China Sea.
In a tweet, the EU ambassador to the Philippines, Luc Véron, quoted the statement of the EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, during the bloc’s ministerial meeting with Southeast Asian countries.
At the EU-ASEAN ministerial meeting, @JosepBorrellF He said “We cannot allow countries to unilaterally undermine international law and maritime security in the #South China Sea, posing a serious threat to the peaceful development of the region “The EU maintains a rules-based order #UNCLOS
– Luc Veron (@EUAmbPH) March 25, 2021
“We cannot allow countries to unilaterally undermine international law and maritime security in the South China Sea. which represents a serious threat to the peaceful development of the region ”, Véron quoted Borrell.
On the other hand, UK Asia Minister Nigel Adams said he spoke with Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. and discussed issues related to the two countries’ shared concerns about Myanmar and the Sea of South China, including actions that increase tensions there. “
The Philippines 🇵🇭 is an important partner for the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 in the Indo-Pacific.
I previously spoke with the Secretary of Foreign Affairs @eddyboylocsin about our Integrated Review and our shared concerns about #Myanmar and the South China Sea, including actions that increase tensions there.
🇬🇧🇵🇭 pic.twitter.com/bE7XfwOyff– Nigel Adams (@nadams) March 23, 2021
Adams, in his March 23 tweet, also called the Philippines an “important partner” for the UK in the Indo-Pacific region.
‘Same scripts’
But the Chinese embassy in Manila responded to the diplomats’ comments, calling their comments “irresponsible.”
“Neither these diplomats understand the basic facts nor do they have the ability to think and judge independently. But they came out with irresponsible comments, using the same scripts, ”the embassy said.
Neither these diplomats understand the basic facts nor do they have the ability to think and judge independently. But they came out with irresponsible comments, using the same scripts. pic.twitter.com/nEWfkCtJzV
– ChineseEmbassyManila (@Chinaembmanila) March 25, 2021
“If the alleged ‘facts’ are false from the start, I couldn’t be more wrong to repeat the mistakes. Understand and respect the fact before making any comment, “he added.
The United States, Japan and Australia have previously spoken on the issue. The Chinese embassy also called them on Twitter.
This developed after more than 200 Chinese ships were sighted near Julian Felipe Reef in the Western Philippine Sea, the Philippine Coast Guard reported on March 7.
As of Monday, March 22, the Armed Forces of the Philippines counted at least 183 Chinese ships on the reef, which is within the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Philippines.
On Sunday March 21, Manila presented a diplomatic protest over the presence of the ships.
A day after the protest was filed, the Chinese embassy denied the presence of the Beijing maritime militia on the reef, which it claimed as part of Nansha Qundao, one of two political districts in the South China Sea established by the government. Chinese in 2020. In addition, he said that the ships simply took refuge from the bad sea conditions at the time.
The Chinese ambassador to the Philippines, Huang Xilian, repeated this explanation during his “personal meeting” with President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday.
Still, in a heavily worded statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) demanded that China immediately withdraw its vessels and maritime assets from the area.
EDV / abc
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