China warns EU to stop ‘provoking trouble’ in South China Sea dispute
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China has urged the EU to stay out of the South China Sea conflict after top diplomat Kaja Kallas voiced concern during a visit to Manila.
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Chinese coastguard ship blocks a Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources ship as it neared the Chinese-controlled Scarborough Shoal in the disputed South China Sea, in October 2023 (AFP)
China has issued a strong warning to the European Union, urging it to stop “provoking trouble” in the South China Sea, following remarks made by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas during her visit to the Philippines.
On Thursday, the Chinese embassy in the Philippines advised Manila not to "fantasize" about resolving maritime disputes with the help of external powers, reiterating Beijing’s position that the EU is not a stakeholder in the region.
"The EU is not a party to the South China Sea disputes and has no right to interfere in the South China Sea differences between China and the Philippines," the embassy spokesperson said in a statement posted on its official website.
Kallas had earlier expressed concern over China’s actions in the strategic waterway, where Beijing's expansive territorial claims conflict with those of several Southeast Asian nations, including the Philippines.
The Philippine embassy in Beijing has not yet responded to the Chinese statement.
China warns EU to back off South China Sea row as tensions with Philippines deepen
According to the Associated Press, in recent months, tensions in the South China Sea have escalated, with the Philippines accusing China of increasingly aggressive actions. A Philippine security official stated that China is "pushing us to the wall" through its assertive behavior in the disputed waters.
Notably, a large Chinese coast guard ship patrolled the contested Scarborough Shoal and approached within 77 nautical miles of the Philippine coast.
In response, Philippine officials have warned that all options, including new international legal actions, are on the table. China, asserting its sovereignty over the area, has urged the Philippines to cease what it terms "infringement, provocation, and malicious hype."
WATCH: A China Coast Guard ship, several Chinese maritime militia vessels, and a PLA Navy warship seen from Pag-asa Island. | via Patrick de Jesus pic.twitter.com/EVbImk3La6
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