G7 concerned over Chinese actions in the South China Sea

Foreign Ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) said in a communiqué that they were concerned over China’s “dangerous” actions against the Philippines in the South China Sea.

According to a 24 Oras Weekend report on Saturday, the foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and America expressed concern about China’s military movements against Filipino vessels.

“We continue to oppose China’s dangerous use of coast guard and maritime militia in the South China Sea and its repeated obstruction of countries’ high seas freedom of navigation and we express serious concern about the increasing use of dangerous maneuvers and water cannons against Philippine vessels in this regard,” said the ministers.

Furthermore, they said that China had no legal basis in its claims on the South China Sea and emphasized the importance of the Arbitral Ruling in 2016 which favored the Philippines.

“We oppose China’s militarization, coercive and intimidation activities in the South China Sea. We re-emphasize the universal and unified character of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)… 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,” the statement added.

Last March, three Philippine Navy sailors were injured when the Chinese Coast Guard water cannoned a Filipino supply vessel near the Ayungin Shoal.

The confrontation also caused severe damage to the Unaizah May 4 vessel while it was on its way to deliver troops and provisions to the BRP Sierra Madre at the shoal. — Jiselle Anne Casucian/DVM, GMA Integrated News