China urges EU to be ‘objective and fair’ on South China Sea issue
Beijing has called on the European Union to be “objective and fair” regarding the South China Sea after the bloc condemned recent actions by Chinese coast guard vessels. The diplomatic spat follows a weekend incident in which China and the Philippines accused each other of deliberately ramming coast guard vessels near Sabina Shoal.
China expressed strong dissatisfaction with the EU’s statements, which labeled Chinese actions as “dangerous” and a violation of international maritime law. The Chinese mission to the EU contended that the EU is not a party to the South China Sea dispute and should refrain from making critical remarks about the situation.
The EU’s External Action Service denounced the recent confrontation as endangering maritime safety and infringing on the freedom of navigation and overflight. China countered that the EU’s focus on freedom of navigation serves no beneficial purpose and undermines its own international standing.
The incident marks the fifth maritime clash between China and the Philippines in a month, highlighting ongoing tensions over the strategic and resource-rich South China Sea.
