Obama To China’s Stand In the West Philippine Sea: ‘Abide By International Law’
United States President Barack Obama urged China to stop “flexing its muscles” over the West Philippine Sea issue after the International Arbitration court already issued a ruling in favor of the Philippines.
According to a report by GMA News, China needs to be responsible in showing its powers in over the southeast Asian region over smaller nations like the Philippines and Vietnam.
Obama said that China needs to “abide by the international law” after a ruling has been given in favor of the Philippines over the dispute in the West Philippine Sea.
“If you sign a treaty that calls for international arbitration around maritime issues, the fact that you’re bigger than the Philippines or Vietnam or other countries … is not a reason for you to go around and flex your muscles. You’ve got to abide by international law,” said Obama.
Also, the US encouraged China to submit itself to international rules to allow a “strong international order.”
“Where we see them violating international rules and norms, as we have seen in some cases in the South China Sea or in some of their behavior when it comes to economic policy, we’ve been very firm,” said Obama.
“And we’ve indicated to them that there will be consequences,” he added.
China lost to the Philippines in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in an arbitration case over the West Philippine Sea. It has been found by The Hague that China has “no historic title” over the disputed waters in the said region.
But, China stood and didn’t recognize the international ruling.
Meanwhile, in earlier reports, China has already built artificial islands in the region and is still continuing.
It has been also reported that China has prohibited Filipino fishermen from doing their livelihood before.