China urges EU to be ‘objective and fair’ on South China Sea issue

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BEIJING (Reuters) -China urged the European Union to be “objective and fair” and careful with words and actions on issues in the South China Sea, after the bloc remarked on an incident that occurred over the weekend.

China said it was “strongly dissatisfied” with the European Union’s “accusations” against it on the issue, a statement by the Chinese mission to the EU showed.

“The European Union is not a party to the South China Sea issue and has no right to point fingers on the issue,” it said.

It also said the EU’s repeated “hyping up” on the freedom of navigation issue “has no benefits to the EU’s own interests and international credibility”.

China and the Philippines exchanged accusations of intentionally ramming coastguard vessels in disputed waters of the South China Sea on Saturday, the latest in an escalating series of clashes.

The collision near the Sabina Shoal was their fifth maritime confrontation in a month in a longstanding rivalry over the vital waterway.

The EU said in a Sunday statement that it condemned the “dangerous actions by China Coast Guard vessels against lawful Philippine maritime operations” in the sea.

In the statement, the EU External Action Service said the recent incidents between Chinese and Philippines authorities “endanger the safety of life at sea, and violate the right to freedom of navigation and overflight to which all nations are entitled under international law”.

Asked about the Chinese response, an EU spokesperson said on Monday the bloc has “a big stake in peace and security in Asia”.

“A large portion of the EU’s foreign trade passes through the South China Sea,” the spokesperson added.

“The European Union calls for de-escalation of tensions and remains committed to supporting its partners seeking to exercise their legitimate rights, in the region and beyond.”

(Reporting by Liz Lee, Andrew Gray and Beijing newsroom; Editing by Tom Hogue and Lincoln Feast.)