US, UK urge China to follow international maritime laws

THE United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK) have urged China to heed to the international maritime rules, after China made a "dangerous and destabilizing" act towards Philippine ships in the South China Sea.

"The United States and United Kingdom affirmed the importance of close coordination to advance shared objectives and common values and interests with respect to the Indo-Pacific,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy in a joint statement said.

The two nations shared their "commitment to upholding international law and the rules based international system.”

The two diplomats emphasized the significance of respecting the international law defined in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The statement came after a vessel of the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) maneuvered dangerously and repeatedly rammed a Philippine Coast Guard vessel in Escoda (Sabina) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) in August this year.

These diplomats met in London on September 10-11 for a strategic dialogue.

The US has been an ally of the Philippines in protecting the latter's sovereign right at the West Philippine Sea against the escalatory actions made by the People’s Republic of China.

The Philippines plans to deploy other vessels to Escoda Shoal to replace BRP Terersa Magbanua after it was pulled out over the weekend

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson for West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela, according to GMA News, said they intend to deploy other Coast Guard vessels to Escoda Shoal but refused to disclose the operational details of their plan.(LAO)

• Tags
• #United States
• #United Kingdom
• #China
• # South China Sea
• #Antony Blinken
• #David Lammy
• #United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
• #Chinese Coast Guard
• #Philippine Coast Guard
• #West Philippine Sea