Reuters
Wed, December 13, 2023
Chinese militia vessels operate at Whitsun Reef in South China Sea
(Reuters) - China condemned Canada's support for the Philippines over what it said were violations of China's sovereignty in the South China Sea, according to a statement by a Chinese embassy spokesperson in Canada.
"The South China Sea is the common home of countries in the region and should not become a hunting ground for Canada, the United States and other countries to pursue their geopolitical interests," the statement said.
Over the past few months, China and the Philippines have had several confrontations centred around the Second Thomas Shoal, an atoll in the South China Sea.
"As a country outside the region, Canada has emboldened the Philippines' violation of China's sovereignty, violated the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter, and jeopardised regional peace and stability," the Canadian embassy spokesperson said.
Manila has accused Chinese coast guard and maritime militia vessels of repeatedly firing water cannon at its resupply boats and deliberately ramming a vessel near the disputed waters.
The United States has voiced opposition to the run-ins and sided with the Philippines.
Over the weekend, a confrontation in the disputed waters drew condemnation from Canada in a government statement denouncing "the actions taken by the People's Republic of China against Philippine civilian and government vessels in the South China Sea."
China, which claims nearly the entire South China Sea as its own, has repeatedly said Philippine vessels were encroaching on its national sovereignty.
(Reporting by Beijing newsroom; Writing by Bernard Orr; Editing by Christopher Cushing and Edmund Klamann)
Philippines summons Chinese ambassador over South China Sea 'harassment'
Wed, December 13, 2023
Chinese militia vessels operate at Whitsun Reef in South China Sea
(Reuters) - China condemned Canada's support for the Philippines over what it said were violations of China's sovereignty in the South China Sea, according to a statement by a Chinese embassy spokesperson in Canada.
"The South China Sea is the common home of countries in the region and should not become a hunting ground for Canada, the United States and other countries to pursue their geopolitical interests," the statement said.
Over the past few months, China and the Philippines have had several confrontations centred around the Second Thomas Shoal, an atoll in the South China Sea.
"As a country outside the region, Canada has emboldened the Philippines' violation of China's sovereignty, violated the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter, and jeopardised regional peace and stability," the Canadian embassy spokesperson said.
Manila has accused Chinese coast guard and maritime militia vessels of repeatedly firing water cannon at its resupply boats and deliberately ramming a vessel near the disputed waters.
The United States has voiced opposition to the run-ins and sided with the Philippines.
Over the weekend, a confrontation in the disputed waters drew condemnation from Canada in a government statement denouncing "the actions taken by the People's Republic of China against Philippine civilian and government vessels in the South China Sea."
China, which claims nearly the entire South China Sea as its own, has repeatedly said Philippine vessels were encroaching on its national sovereignty.
(Reporting by Beijing newsroom; Writing by Bernard Orr; Editing by Christopher Cushing and Edmund Klamann)
Philippines summons Chinese ambassador over South China Sea 'harassment'
Reuters
Mon, December 11, 2023
Chinese Coast Guard ship uses water cannon against a Filipino resupply vessel
MANILA (Reuters) -The Philippines' foreign ministry said on Tuesday it has summoned China's ambassador to Manila to protest "back-to-back harassments" in the South China Sea at the weekend, as longstanding geopolitical tensions continue in the strategic waterway.
Manila has asked China to direct its vessels to cease and desist from what it said were illegal actions and dangerous manoeuvres against Philippine vessels, and stop interfering in legitimate Philippine activities, the ministry said in a statement.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro verbally delivered the protest against the Chinese manoeuvres that led to a collision, and against use of water cannons against Philippine vessels sending supplies to troops stationed in an ageing warship at the Second Thomas Shoal.
"The actions of the Chinese vessels within the Philippine exclusive economic zone are illegal and violate the freedom of navigation," the ministry said.
It also protested China's use of water cannons against three fisheries bureau vessels on their way to send oil and groceries to fishermen near the Scarborough shoal.
The Chinese embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to request for comment.
The two neighbours traded accusations on Sunday, and the Philippines called China's actions a "serious escalation".
China's foreign ministry protested over what it said was a collision on Sunday, but the Philippines said Chinese coastguard and maritime militia repeatedly fired water cannons at its resupply boats, causing "serious engine damage" to one, and "deliberately" ramming another.
The United States, the Philippines' treaty ally, and the United Kingdom, both expressed support for the Philippines and condemned the actions of China, which claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual ship-borne commerce.
The Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei, have competing claims. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016 said China's claims had no legal basis.
(Reporting by Neil Jerome Morales and Karen Lema; Editing by Martin Petty, Kanupriya Kapoor and)
No comments:
Post a Comment