Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand expressed concern over Saturday's Escoda Shoal incident in the West Philippine Sea where a Chinese Coast Guard vessel rammed the BRP Teresa Magbanua three times.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Endo Kazuya said his country was “seriously concerned” about the incident.

“Japan opposes any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion. Japan stands together with the Philippines by upholding rule of law at sea,” Endo said.

US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson said the United States ''stands with its ally, the Philippines and condemns the dangerous and escalatory actions by the PRC against lawful Philippine maritime operations in the vicinity of Sabina (Escoda) Shoal in the South China Sea.''

In a separate statement, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller called China’s actions “dangerous and escalatory”.

“On multiple occasions throughout August 2024, the PRC (People’s Republic of China) has aggressively disrupted lawful Philippine aerial and maritime operations in the South China Sea, including at Sabina Shoal,” Miller said.

“The PRC's unlawful claims of ‘territorial sovereignty’ over ocean areas where no land territory exists, and its increasingly aggressive actions to enforce them, threaten the freedoms of navigation and overflight of all nations,” he added.

The US reiterated its call to China to “comport its claims and actions with international law and to desist from dangerous and destabilizing conduct”.

It reaffirmed Article IV of its Mutual Defense Treaty, saying that it “extends to armed attacks on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft - including those of its Coast Guard - anywhere in the South China Sea.”

UK Ambassador to the Philippines Laure Beaufils once again urged China to respect international law.

“UK calls once again for respect for international law, including UNCLOS, and adherence to the 2016 Arbitral Award which is legally binding on the parties,” Beaufils said on X.

For its part, the New Zealand Embassy said that the recent harassment by China was “profoundly troubling and and fits a recent pattern of dangerous and destabilising actions in the region”.

“New Zealand calls for de-escalation and compliance with international law, in particular UNCLOS,” it added. Jaspearl Tan/DMS