G7 LEADERS. Group of Seven (G7) leaders, (from left) European Council President Charles Michel, Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, pose for a photo on the first day of the G7 summit in Italy on June 13, 2024. The Philippines on Monday night (June 17, 2024) hailed the G7 leaders for opposing China’s “baseless and excessive claims” in the South China Sea. (Photo courtesy of G7 Italy)

MANILA – The Philippines, through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), on Monday night hailed the G7 leaders for opposing China’s “baseless and excessive claims” in the South China Sea (SCS).

“We highly appreciate the G7’s opposition to China’s baseless and excessive claims in the South China Sea,” the department said in a statement.

“We appreciate the G7’s call for China to cease its illegal activities, particularly its use of coast guard and maritime militia that engage in dangerous maneuvers and the use of water cannons against Philippine vessels.”

The DFA said it “profoundly welcomes” the grouping’s commitment to upholding a rules-based international order and the rule of law in all parts of the world, including the South China Sea.

“The Philippines shares the G7’s vision of a stable and secure Indo-Pacific region, and stands firm against any actions that undermine international security and stability,” it added.

“We continue to value the G7’s support in confirming the universal and unified character of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).”

READ: G7 leaders oppose China’s ‘dangerous use of coast guard’ in SCS

The Philippines shares the same commitment to UNCLOS and its processes, as manifested in its recent submission for an extended continental shelf in the Western Palawan region of the West Philippine Sea, the DFA said.

It said it also appreciates the G7’s reaffirmation that the 2016 Arbitral Award is a significant milestone and a useful basis for the peaceful management and resolution of differences at sea.

The G7 leaders issued the communiqué on June 14 following a summit in Apulia, Italy.

The group represents the world’s leading industrialized democracies – Canada, France, the United States, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom. (PNA)