Recently Yahoo News on-line reported the following:
EU blames China for endangering peace in South China Sea
Reuters Sat., April 24, 2021, 10:03 p.m.
By Yew Lun Tian
BEIJING (Reuters) - The European Union called out China on Saturday for endangering peace in the South China Sea and urged all parties to abide by a 2016 tribunal ruling which rejected most of China's claim to sovereignty in the sea, but which Beijing has rejected.
The EU last week released a new policy aimed at stepping up its influence in the Indo-Pacific region to counter China's rising power.
The Philippines on Friday protested to China over its failure to withdraw what it called as "threatening" boats believed to be manned by maritime militia around the disputed Whitsun Reef, which Manila calls the Julian Felipe Reef.
"Tensions in the South China Sea, including the recent presence of large Chinese vessels at Whitsun Reef, endanger peace and stability in the region," a EU spokesperson said in a statement on Saturday.
EU reiterated its strong opposition to "unilateral actions that could undermine regional stability and international rules-based order".
It urged all parties to resolve disputes peacefully in accordance with international law, and highlighted a 2016 international arbitration that had ruled in favor of the Philippines while invalidating most of China's claims in the South China Sea.
The Chinese Mission to the EU in a statement on Saturday reiterated that the reef is part of China's Nansha Islands, or Spratly Islands, and that it was "reasonable and lawful" for Chinese fishing boats to operate there and shelter from the wind.
The Chinese statement also insisted that China's sovereignty, rights and interests in the South China Sea were formed in the "long course of history and consistent with international law" and rejected the 2016 tribunal ruling as "null and void".
"The South China Sea should not become a tool for certain countries to contain and suppress China, much less a wrestling ground for major-power rivalry," the Chinese statement said.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken last month said Washington "stands by its ally, the Philippines," in the face of China’s massing maritime militia at Whitsun Reef.
Translation
北京（路透社）- 歐盟週六請中國注意其危害南中國海和平的不可接受的行為，並敦促所有各方遵守2016年仲裁庭的裁決，該裁決駁回了中國對海洋主權的大部分主張，但北京已予以拒絕。
歐盟上週發布了一項新政策，旨在增強其在印度太平洋地區的影響力，以對抗中國的崛起勢頭。
菲律賓上週五向中國提出抗議，抗議其聲稱的“有威脅性” 的船未能撤出有爭議的牛轭礁(Whitsun Reef)的周圍。它相信這些船是由海上民兵組織駕駛。馬尼拉稱這礁之為朱利安·費利佩礁 (Julian Felipe Reef)。
歐盟發言人周六在一份聲明中說：“南中國海的緊張局勢，包括最近在轭礁出現的大型中國船隻，危及該地區的和平與穩定。”
歐盟重申堅決反對“可能破壞地區穩定和基於國際規則的秩序的單方面行動”。
它敦促各方根據國際法和平解決爭端，並強調了2016年的國際仲裁。該裁決對菲律賓有利，同時使中國在南中國海的大多數主張無效。
中國駁回了歐盟的指責，稱其在惠特桑礁(Whitsun Reef)的船隻危及和平與安全。中國稱惠特桑礁為牛轭礁。
中國駐歐盟代表團在周六的聲明中重申，該礁是中國南沙群島或南沙群島的一部分，中國漁船在那裡作業並避風避風是“合理合法的”。
中國聲明還堅持認為，中國在南中國海的主權，利益和利益是在“悠久的歷史和符合國際法的基礎上形成的”，並否決了2016年仲裁庭的裁決,“視它為無效”。
中國的聲明說：“南海不應成為某些國家遏制和壓制中國的工具，更不用說是大國競爭的摔跤場。”
中國越來越擔心歐洲和其他國家在聽取美國總統拜登（Joe Biden）對中國採取“協調方針”的呼籲。迄今為止，對在香港以國家安全進行鎮壓, 和對維吾爾族穆斯林的看待, 協調呼籲實現了對中國施加制裁。
上個月，美國國務卿安東尼·布林肯(Antony Blinken) 說，面對中國在惠特森礁海（Whitsun Reef）聚集的海上民兵，華盛頓是“站在其盟友菲律賓身旁”。
It seems
that the EU is more outspoken recently on commenting China’s activities.
Perhaps it is an indication that President Joe Biden's call for a
"coordinated approach" towards China is bearing fruit. In taking a more active position in monitoring
China’s activities, the tone used by the EU in reiterating a strong opposition
to China are similar to those used by the US and its English-speaking alliance.
The US has been opposing to China’s stance in Asia in dealing with Japan,
Taiwan, the Philippines and other countries in the East and South-east China
sea region over territorial rights.
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