Japan has come to the defense of the Philippines while strongly condemning China’s actions in the West Philippine Sea, after China and the Philippines accused each other of ramming their ships at the Sabina Shoal.
Sabina Shoal is located 140 kilometers (87 miles) west of the Philippine island of Palawan and about 1,200 km (746 miles) from Hainan Island, the closest Chinese land mass.
On Saturday, China’s coast guard reported that a Philippine ship “illegally stranded” at Sabina Shoal “deliberately rammed” a Chinese vessel. Meanwhile, the Philippine coast guard stated that a Chinese vessel had “intentionally rammed” one of their ships.
“The international community, including Japan, has repeatedly expressed serious concerns over repeated actions in recent days that increase regional tensions. Japan will continue to…reiterate our strong opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion,” the Japanese embassy said in a statement, released also on Saturday.
Japan’s statement came after China’s embassy in the Philippines filed a diplomatic protest against the Japanese ambassador’s “irresponsible” remarks about Sabina Shoal.
Japan responded by reaffirming its stance on the South China Sea, stressing that the issue is crucial to regional peace and stability.
The Japanese embassy in the Philippines emphasized that Japan, as a major user of the South China Sea for resource and energy transportation, has legitimate concerns.
“Japan will continue working in coordination with the international community to maintain and strengthen the free and open international order based on the rule of law,” it said.
Japan criticized China’s maritime claims, stating they are inconsistent with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
“Regrettably, China has not changed its position of not accepting the Arbitral Tribunal’s award to the Philippines and China, and has continued to assert maritime claims that are inconsistent with the UNCLOS,” the Japanese embassy said.
“Taking this opportunity, Japan refers to Article 296 of UNCLOS, which articulates that any decision rendered by a tribunal having jurisdiction under UNCLOS shall be final and shall be complied with by all the parties to the dispute,” it added.
Furthermore, Japan underscored that the Arbitral Tribunal in The Hague ruled China’s “nine-dash line” claim has no legal basis, a decision China has refused to accept.
In a statement, the Chinese embassy criticized the Japanese ambassador’s tweet, which featured a video of a Chinese coast-guard vessel near Sabina Shoal, calling it an “unacceptable development.” The embassy accused the ambassador of ignorance and making unfounded accusations against China.
It will be recalled that Japan and the Philippines recently signed a defense agreement allowing the deployment of troops on each other’s soil for joint military exercises.
The Reciprocal Access Agreement, signed last July by Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro, is a departure from Japan’s post-World War II pacifist stance.
The agreement, still pending ratification by both nations’ legislatures, reflects a mutual interest in maintaining regional stability amid China’s expansive territorial claims.