Philippines protests new regulations on Chinese coast guard operations

A Chinese Coast Guard vessel moves in front of a Philippine ship on a resupply mission in the South China Sea on October 4, 2023 (Photo: Reuters).

China has issued new regulations to implement its 2021 Coast Guard Law, which allows its coast guard to fire on foreign vessels.

In a statement on May 24, Philippine Defense Minister Gilberto Teodoro emphasized that China's new regulations violate the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the United Nations Charter.

“Such conduct violates not only UNCLOS but also the principles of the United Nations Charter, which stipulates that every state has the responsibility to refrain from the use of force or aggression in the enforcement of its laws,” Teodoro said in a speech at the Philippine Navy’s anniversary celebration.

“Especially in this case, illegal territorial claims in the maritime domain,” he said. “For me, that is a provocation.”

Meanwhile, China's Foreign Ministry said this week that the new regulations were aimed at protecting maritime order and that relevant individuals and organizations need not worry if there were no illegal acts.

The Philippines and China have had several maritime clashes in the South China Sea in recent months, including an incident in which a Chinese coast guard vessel used water cannons to damage Manila's vessels and injure crew members.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-gioi/philippines-phan-doi-quy-dinh-moi-ve-hoat-dong-cua-hai-canh-trung-quoc-20240524142832117.htm