MANILA, Philippines- May ilang foreign diplomats ang naghayag ng pakabahala sa ginawang pagharang at paggamit ng water cannon ng China Coast Guard sa isang sibilyan na barko na inarkila ng militar para magdala ng suplay sa mga sundalong nakatalaga sa BRP Sierra Madre sa bahagi ng Ayungin Shoal.
Sa tweet ni Australian Ambassador to the Philippines HK Yu, sinabi nito na ang kanyang bansa ay “concerned by the latest actions directed against the Philippines,” at inilarawan ito bilang “dangerous and destabilizing.”
“We reiterate our call for peace, stability, and respect for UNCLOS (United Nations Convention for the Law of the Sea) in the South China Sea – a vital international waterway,” ayon kay Yu.
Sa tweet naman ng Canadian Embassy in the Philippines, kinondena nito ang “dangerous and provocative actions” na ginawa ng CCG.
Ang naging aksyon aniya ng CCG ay “unacceptable and inconsistent witht the obligations of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) under international law.”
“Canada reiterates its support for international law, including the 2016 arbitral dedcision on the South China Sea, which is final and binding, and calls on the PRC to comply with its obligations under international law,” ayon sa embahada.
Muling ipinanawagan naman ng British Embassy Manila ang naging hirit ng ibang diplomat na “peace and stability” sa rehiyon. Sinabing ipagpapatuloy ng United Kingdom na panindigan ang commitment nito sa international law, tinukoy ang UNCLOS.
Winika naman ni Luc Véron, European Union’s (EU) ambassador to the Philippines, sa kanyang tweet na suportado ng EU ang Pilipinas dahil patuloy na pinaninindigan nito ang rules-based international order at nagpahayag ng suporta sa “legally binding nature of the 2016 South China Sea arbitration.”
Nagpahayag naman ng suporta si Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhiko Koshikawa sa Pilipinas at nagsabing ang ginawa ng CCG ay “totally unacceptable.”
Suportado rin nito ang nasabing maritime order batay sa UNCLOS at 2016 arbitral award.
Nagpakita rin at nagpahayag ng suporta ang German Embassy in the Philippines, hinikayat ang lahat ng partido na igalang ang UNCLOS, kasama ang 2016 arbitral award.
“In light of recent events, Germany stresses that disputes must be resolved peacefully not by force or coercion,” ayon sa kalatas nito.
Nauna rito, nagpahayag din ng suporta ang Estados Unidos sa Pilipinas sabay sabing ang naging asal at pagkilos ng China ay “unwarranted interference in lawful Philippine maritime operations.”
“The United States reaffirms an armed attack on Philippine public vessels, aircraft, and armed forces—including those of its Coast Guard in the South China Sea—would invoke U.S. mutual defense commitments under Article IV of the 1951 U.S. Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty,” ayon sa kalatas ng US Department of State.
Samantala, para naman sa China, ginawa lamang nito ang “necessary controls” laban sa Pilipinas na ilegal na pumasok sa inaangkin nitong katubigan.
“Two repair ships and two coast guard ships from the Philippines illegally broke into the waters… in China’s Nansha Islands,” ayon kay China Coast Guard spokesperson Gan Yu sabay sabing ipinatupad lamang ng Beijing ang “necessary controls in accordance with the law and stopped Philippine ships carrying illegal building materials.” Kris Jose
