The Canadian Department of National Defence said that HMCS Calgary sailed through the South China Sea amidst tension
Mildred German
April 3, 2021 – This week a Canadian warship entered the disputed South China Sea as tensions continue to escalate after 220 Chinese ships were spotted moored near the Julian Felipe Reef inside the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and Continental Shelf (CS). The Chinese flotilla has been reportedly in the Philippine seas and territories since March 7, 2021. https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/25/21/canada-joins-other-nations-in-opposing-chinese-actions-in-the-we st-philippine-sea
“Canada opposes recent Chinese actions in the South China Sea, including off the coast of the Philippines, that escalate tensions and undermine regional stability and the rules-based international order,” Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines Peter MacArthur said in a March 24 tweet, reiterating that the actions of China “undermine regional stability.”
Canada opposes recent Chinese actions in the South China Sea, including off the coast of the Philippines, that escalate tensions and undermine regional stability and the rules-based international order.
— Peter MacArthur🇨🇦 (@AmbMacArthur) March 24, 2021
The Canadian Department of National Defence said that HMCS Calgary sailed this week through the South China Sea. The Calgary’s presence could aggravate tensions with Beijing as Canada has been engaged in diplomatic furors since the arrest of Huawei executive, Meng Wanzhou, in 2018. Beijing also arrested two Canadians, in what the Canadian Federal government described as China’s retaliation for Wanzhou’s arrest.https://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/canada-news-pmn/canadian-warship-transits-south-china-sea-ami d-heightened-diplomatic-tensions
As China asserts its power, images taken by the Philippine forces exposed China has been constructing military bases in the disputed Philippine islands. The Defence Department spokesperson Daniel Le Bouthillier also confirmed that The Calgary passed near the disputed Spratly Islands where the Chinese military has set up airport, facilities, and equipment.
The Philippines has formally lodged a diplomatic protest against China over the presence of the flotilla and demanded for the withdrawal of the 220 marine vessels from the Philippines territories. The Philippines stands on ground that under an arbitral ruling, the Philippines has the sole right in the resources in its territories well within the Philippines’ EEZ and CS, and that in 2016 the international arbitration court invalidated China’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea. Not only China illegally fish, gather resources, and build military bases in the Philippine territories, there too are reports on the aggressive encounters of Chinese vessels against Filipino fishing boats.
In addition to Canada, the other countries that also are calling out China for its recent incursions in the West Philippine Sea are Japan, Australia, United Kingdom, and the USA (which leads the allyship and nations in backing the Philippines in this dispute). https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/3/25/US-leads-nations-backing-PH-in-new-West-Philippine-Sea -tensions.html
Related Article: The Philippine Seas Dispute, Colonialism, and Philippine Sovereignty
https://philippinecanadiannews.com/canada/international-human-rights-day-2020/