Several countries and the European Union on Friday backed the Philippines anew following another dangerous maneuver and water cannon attack committed by China against a local boat resupplying an outpost in the West Philippine Sea.
The United States, Australia, France, and the EU were the first countries that expressed renewed support and concern for the Philippines after the incident in the waters of Ayungin Shoal on Friday morning.
EU Ambassador Luc Veron also reiterated the bloc’s support for the Philippines in calling for the observance of international law in the South China Sea.
US Ambassador MaryKay Carlson said despite China’s continued “harassment, the Philippines successfully and lawfully resupplied its forces on the BRP Sierra Madre at Ayungin Shoal, located wholly within the Philippines’ EEZ (exclusive economic zone).”
“The US and the Philippines stand together as #FriendsPartnersAllies for a #FreeAndOpenIndoPacific,” she added in a post on X, the social media site.
Australian Ambassador HK Yu said Canberra is concerned by the dangerous conduct committed by China, particularly when it used a water cannon against the Philippine boat.
“Upholding international law, especially UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea), is fundamental to international peace and security. We call for UNCLOS to be respected,” Yu added.
France’s recently installed Ambassador Marie Fontanel reiterated her country’s continuous support to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), which came as she met for the first PCG’s new commandant, Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan.
“Today again the resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre faced dangerous deliberate obstacles in the Philippines’ EEZ but was eventually successful,” Fontanel said.