(POLITIKO) Senator Jinggoy Estrada tells China “to respect international law, exercise restraint, and cease all actions that jeopardize the peace and security of the region.”
Amid escalating tension in a vital waterway, Senator Jinggoy Estrada is calling on China to stop its aggressive action in the West Philippine Sea.
Estrada sought to defend the country’s territorial sovereignty after denouncing Chinese coast guards’ use of water cannons against Philippine ships within local waters.
In a statement, the senator urged China “to respect international law, exercise restraint, and cease all actions that jeopardize the peace and security of the region.”
“Ang mga aksyon ng China Coast Guard (CCG) ay hindi dapat nangyayari. Ito ay malinaw na paglabag sa karapatang pantao, batas ng dagat at nagpapakita ng kawalan ng paggalang sa soberanya ng Pilipinas,” he said in a statement posted on Facebook.
“We stand united in condemning these latest aggressive actions taken by CCG. We will not be cowed by any actions to intimidate or undermine our sovereign rights,” he said.
For the sake of peace and stability, Estrada also pressed for peaceful and diplomatic solutions to resolve the territorial conflict with China.
“We must pursue avenues that promote cooperation, understanding, and respect for each other’s rights in the pursuit of a stable and secure region,” he said.
The Philippines has accused Chinese coast guards of targeting resupply vessels with water cannons and rammed one of the ships. The local vessels were on their way to deliver provisions to troops near a contested atoll in the South China Sea.
The government has condemned China’s latest unprovoked acts of coercion and dangerous maneuvers against a routine resupply mission.
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