The Philippines welcomed the support of the foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) against China’s aggression in the South China Sea (SCS).
In a statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) thanked the G7 for their commitment to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Arbitral Award of 2016.
“We appreciate the G7’s support in rejecting China’s baseless and expansive claims, and their call for China to cease its illegal activities, particularly its use of coast guard and maritime militia in the SCS that engage in dangerous maneuvers and the use of water cannons against Philippine vessels,” the DFA said.
“We duly note and appreciate the G7’s reaffirmation that the 2016 Arbitral Award is a significant milestone and a useful basis for the peaceful management and resolution of differences at sea,” it added.
In a communiqué on global challenges and partnership, the G7 expressed opposition to China’s dangerous actions in the SCS and pointed out that the country had no legal basis to claim the area.
“We oppose China’s militarization, coercive and intimidation activities in the South China Sea. We re-emphasize the universal and unified character of the UNCLOS,” the ministers said.
“We reiterate that the award rendered by the Arbitral Tribunal on July 12, 2016, is a significant milestone, which is legally binding upon the parties to those proceedings and a useful basis for peacefully resolving disputes between the parties,” it added.
G7 is composed of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, as well as the European Union.
In 2016, an international arbitration tribunal in the Hague said China’s claims had no legal basis, a decision Beijing has rejected.
China claims almost the entire South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion in annual ship commerce. Its territorial claims overlap with those of the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei.
Parts of the waters within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone have been renamed as West Philippine Sea (WPS).
Tensions between China and the Philippines have heightened in recent months as both sides trade accusations over a series of incidents in the concerned waters. —Joviland Rita/KG, GMA Integrated News
