PRESS RELEASE : FCDO spokesperson statement on incidents in the South China Sea [December 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 December 2023.

UK statement in response to Chinese escalation against the Philippines in the South China Sea.

A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development spokesperson said:

The UK condemns the unsafe and escalatory tactics deployed by Chinese vessels against the Philippines on 9 and 10 December in the South China Sea. The UK opposes any action which raises tensions, including harassment, unsafe conduct and intimidation tactics which increase the risk of miscalculation and threaten regional peace and stability.

The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea sets out the legal framework that governs all activities in the oceans and seas. We oppose any claims that are not founded in UNCLOS.  Both China and the Philippines must adhere to the findings of the 2016 Arbitral Award proceedings, which are legally binding on both parties.