EU and USA strengthen the Philippines in the territorial dispute with China the back
The European Union and the USA reinforce the Philippines in their dispute with China over sovereignty rights in the South China Sea, publicly backing the 2016 UN-Arbitral Tribunal's ruling that denied China's claims to the Second Thomas Reef west of the Philippines. This should be respected, according to a statement.
In the USA, Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated: "We continue to urge the People's Republic of China to abide by the 2016 ruling and cease its dangerous and destabilizing behavior." The Chinese government immediately accused the EU of endorsing the Philippines' violation of Chinese sovereignty.
China also demanded that the Philippines immediately withdraw personnel and ships from the Sabina Reef. The Manila government should stop "going the wrong way." The Sabina Reef, like the Second Thomas Reef, is part of the Spratly Islands. These consist of over 100 reefs, atolls, and small islands west of the Philippines.
Besides China and the Philippines, other regional states are making sovereignty claims. The Spratly Islands lie along one of the world's most important shipping lanes. Additionally, oil and natural gas deposits are suspected in this rich fishing area.
The security advisor of the Philippine government, Eduardo Ano, assured that his country rejects violence to resolve the territorial conflict. "We don't want war," he told reporters in Manila. "We are determined to address difficult issues through dialogue and diplomacy and to resolve them." Meanwhile, China dismissed concerns that its navy might intervene in the conflict. The maneuvers of the aircraft carrier "Shandong" near the Philippines followed a regular annual routine, the Defense Ministry explained.
- The EU and USA, in supporting the Philippines' stance, are urging China to retreat from its alleged encroachment on the Second Thomas Reef, a move that goes against China's back from the 2016 UN-Arbitral Tribunal's ruling.
- The Southern Chinese Sea dispute between China and the Philippines extends beyond the Second Thomas Reef, as China also asserts sovereignty over the Sabina Reef, part of the contested Spratly Islands, which is a bone of contention for multiple regional states, including the USA.
- The Philippines, despite ongoing territory disputes, has maintained a commitment to peaceful resolution, as highlighted by the country's security advisor, Eduardo Ano, who emphasized that violent methods should not be employed to settle the conflict.
- China, confronted with international pressure and accusations, has downplayed any aggressive intention towards the Philippines, attributing the presence of its navy, including the "Shandong" aircraft carrier, in the region to routine military exercises.
