The EU supports the Philippines in suing China in the UN court.

The BBC, citing Philippine media, reported that a group of European Union (EU) lawmakers currently visiting the Philippines told Philippine officials that Beijing should participate in the international arbitration process for maritime territorial disputes that Manila has proposed to the United Nations.

On February 15, Philippine news agencies reported that Werner Langen, head of the EU delegation visiting Manila, said the EU "supports" the Southeast Asian nation's stance of taking maritime disputes to an international court, calling it a "good move to ensure a peaceful resolution of conflicts."

The official stated: "The EU stands with the Philippines. We hope China will accept this because it brings both sides toward... a solution."

Meanwhile, a French expert in international law commented: "China generally does not tend to bring maritime territorial disputes to international courts where it feels it could be disadvantageous; however, it employs multifaceted strategies to propagate its positions and utilize every forum to make its mark internationally in a way that is most advantageous to it."

Previously, Manila had asked the Arbitration Tribunal under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to order China to cease activities that the Philippines considers to be infringing on the sovereignty of this Southeast Asian nation.

Philippine Foreign Minister Del Rosario also stated that the Philippines' submission asserts that Beijing's so-called "nine-dash line," which encompasses almost the entire South China Sea, including territorial waters and islands near neighboring countries, is illegal.

According to (Vietnam+) - DT