The country’s allies and foreign partners have shown support to the Philippines after the latest aggressive actions of the China Coast Guard against a Philippine ship at the Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea on Saturday morning.

US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay L. Carlson expressed deep concern over China’s interference with the Philippines’ legitimate operations in its exclusive economic zone, or EEZ, in the WPS.

“The US stands with the Philippines against the PRC’s repeated dangerous maneuvers and water cannons to disrupt the Philippine Coast Guard’s lawful activities in the Philippine EEZ,” Carlson said in her post on X (formerly Twitter).

“The PRC’s interference with the Philippines’ freedom of navigation violates international law and threatens a #FreeAndOpenIndoPacific,” she added.

Citing similar incidents in the past, European Union Ambassador Luc Véron also voiced out similar sentiments.

“Concerned by recurring dangerous maneuvers, blocking and water-cannoning from Chinese Coast Guard vessels and Maritime Militia against Philippine vessels engaged in resupply missions,” Veron said on a similar social media platform.

Veron reiterated the EU’s call “for all parties to abide by the legally binding 2016 Arbitration Award and international law to peacefully resolve disputes, guaranteeing safety for all in maritime waters.”

Japan raises concern

Ambassador of Japan in the Philippines Kazuhiko Koshikawa also expressed grave concern over China’s latest aggression in the WPS.

“Japan reiterates its grave concern on the repeated dangerous actions by CCG in the South China Sea which resulted in Filipino injuries. Japan stands in solidarity with the Philippines as confirmed at the Japan-Philippines-US Vice Foreign Ministers’ meeting held this week,” Kazuhiko said.

Meanwhile, the New Zealand Embassy in Manila stressed that such matters should be resolved peacefully in accordance with UNCLOS.

“New Zealand is deeply concerned at further actions today by Chinese vessels towards the Philippines at Second Thomas Shoal. These endanger lives at sea. It is fundamental to regional stability that maritime disputes are resolved peacefully in accordance with international law, particularly UNCLOS,” it said on its X post on Saturday.