Dennis Gaviola

A China Coast Guard (CCG) ship is spotted during a second civilian resupply mission of the Atin Ito Coalition to the Bajo de Masinloc or Panatag Shoal in the West Philippine Sea on May 15, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File

Article (news)

A China Coast Guard (CCG) ship

Ched Rick Gatchalian

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1749129093130Screenshot 2025-06-05 211117.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">A China Coast Guard (CCG) ship is spotted during a second civilian resupply mission of the Atin Ito Coalition to the Bajo de Masinloc or Panatag Shoal in the West Philippine Sea on May 15, 2024. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File </em></span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA — As the Philippines and the European Union are eyeing strong partnership and defense cooperation, China has stood by its maritime claims over the West Philippines Sea and called on EU to refrain from actions that could escalate tensions. </p><p>Philippine Foreign Affairs secretary  Enrique Manalo and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas met on Monday, June 2, to reaffirm growing collaboration and discuss security matters.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/2/philippines-and-eu-to-set-up-security-and-defense-dialogue-1759" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Philippines and EU to set up security and defense dialogue</a></div><p>In a joint press release, the two reaffirmed their commitment to &quot;respect freedom of navigation and overflight as provided for in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)&quot; and expressed concerns on China&#x27;s aggressive interference and measures in the West Philippines Sea.</p><p>The EU, saying it is a firm believer of international law, said the two countries reject &quot;any unilateral changes to the status quo, including use of coercion.&quot;</p><p>As a response, the Chinese embassy in the Philippines on Thursday said the freedom of navigation and overflight in the disputed waters has &quot;never been an issue&quot; and claimed that Beijing did not start any tension. </p><p>It also said the issue of their territorial sovereignty over the South China Sea, which Beijing claims almost entirely, falls &quot;outside the scope of the UNCLOS&quot; and that China does not recognize the maritime entitlement given to the Philippines.</p><p>&quot;The arbitral tribunal in the South China Sea Arbitration violated the principle of state consent, exercised its jurisdiction ultra vires, and rendered an award that disregards the law. As such, the award is unlawful, null and void, and entirely without legal effect. China does not accept or recognize the award and will not accept any claims or actions based on it,&quot; the embassy said.</p><p>It also said EU has no involvement in the matters of the West Philippines Sea, stressing it should not commit any action that can heighten the conflict.</p><p>&quot;The EU is not a party to the South China Sea disputes and therefore has no standing to interfere in maritime disputes between China and the Philippines, nor to criticize China’s legitimate efforts to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. We urge the EU to respect China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea and to refrain from actions that could escalate tensions,&quot; the embassy stated.</p><p>The Chinese embassy also called on the Philippines to not &quot;bring in external forces&quot; in the issue of the disputed waters and &quot;to return to the right path of managing differences through dialogue and consultation with China.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/5/22/china-coast-guard-used-water-cannoned-sideswiped-ph-research-vessel-bfar-1652">Philippines says China Coast Guard fired water cannon, &#x27;sideswiped&#x27; govt vessel</a></div><p>Among the latest encounters between the Philippines and China in the West Philippines Sea was when a China Coast Guard fired a water cannon and sideswept a Filipino government vessel collecting sand for a research project last month.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED:</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sNd1KydvJWg?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yp3Xx4erIj0?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>As the Philippines and the European Union are eyeing strong partnership and defense cooperation, China has stood by its maritime claims over the West Philippines Sea and called on EU to refrain from actions that could escalate tensions.</p>

As the Philippines and the European Union are eyeing strong partnership and defense cooperation, China has stood by its maritime claims over the West Philippines Sea and called on EU to refrain from actions that could escalate tensions.

China says 'no external force' must be brought in West PH Sea issue

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China says 'no external force' must be brought in West PH Sea issue

Ched Rick Gatchalian,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 05, 2025 10:24 PM PHT

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