A joint statement by sixteen European countries including Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Austria, Romania, Slovakia, Finland, and Sweden was issued on Tuesday, 11 July 2023, to support the Philippines on the West Philippine Sea territory which China has continued claiming over the Whole South China Sea.
According to The Manila Bulletin, the embassies of the 16 countries cited the significance of the ruling, which was based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), by saying it is “a significant milestone” in contributing to the maintenance of rules-based order and the settling of dispute.
“The EU (European Union) reiterates the fundamental importance of upholding the freedoms, rights and duties established in UNCLOS, in particular the freedoms of navigation and overflight,” the countries mentioned said.
In addition, they added, “The EU supports the swift conclusion of talks aiming at an effective Code of Conduct between ASEAN and China that is fully compatible with UNCLOS and also respects the rights of third parties.”
Source: https://mb.com.ph/2023/7/11/16-european-countries-back-ph-territorial-integrity-over-wps
