• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

DFA lauds G7 opposition to dangerous acts vs. PH ships in SCS

Philippine News Agency

By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora
March 26, 2025, 3:10 pm

MANILA -- The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Wednesday welcomed the Group of Seven's (G7) recent objection to the "increasing use" of dangerous maneuvers and water cannons against Philippine vessels in the South China Sea.

The G7 foreign ministers, who held a meeting in Charlevoix, Quebec in Canada on March 12 to 14, recently hit "efforts to restrict freedom of navigation and overflight" through militarization and coercion in the South China Sea, describing these as a violation of international law.

It condemned China's "illicit, provocative, coercive, and dangerous actions" in the Indo-Pacific and expressed concern over dangerous maneuvers against Philippines and Vietnamese vessels.

"The Philippines welcomes anew the G7 Foreign Ministers' reaffirmation of their collective position on the South China Sea," the DFA said.

"We acknowledge, in particular, the G7's objection to illicit, provocative, coercive and dangerous actions, and appreciate its consistent expression of concern over the increasing use of dangerous maneuvers and water cannons against Philippine vessels in the South China Sea."

It likewise acknowledged the G7's pronouncements calling on coastal states to refrain from unilateral actions that cause permanent physical change to the marine environment.

The agency said these include land reclamation and the building of outposts, and "attempts to change the status quo by the establishment of new geographical facts".

"We appreciate the G7's consistent reaffirmation that the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is the legal framework for governing all activities in the oceans and the seas," it said.

"We are likewise encouraged by the G7's consistent acknowledgment of the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award, further confirming its status as an unassailable part of the corpus of international law."

The Philippine government, it said, is also committed to upholding a free, open, prosperous and secure Indo-Pacific, and confirmed Manila's vision of the South China Sea as "a sea of peace, stability and prosperity".

It said the Philippines will continue to call for the cessation of interference, obstruction and harassment of its legal activities within its recognized maritime entitlements. (PNA)