India calls for adherence to international law in South China Sea

India on Friday reiterated its call for adherence to international law and peaceful resolution of disputes in the South China Sea

New Delhi: India on Friday reiterated its call for adherence to international law and peaceful resolution of disputes in the South China Sea amid fresh tensions between the Philippines and China following a recent confrontation in the hotly-contested region.

The Philippines has accused the Chinese Coast Guard of firing water cannons at its vessels and blocking their movement in the South China Sea.

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The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) described the Chinese actions as “unlawful”.

When asked to comment on the latest confrontation in the South China Sea, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India has been maintaining that the issues need to be resolved peacefully.

“We have a long-standing position on the need to adhere to the international law in the context of issues relating to South China Sea and also for a rules based order,” he said.

Bagchi said New Delhi underlined the need for peaceful settlements of disputes.

“We would certainly urge the parties to follow that as well as ensure that these incidents do not happen,” he said.

There have been growing global concerns over China’s sweeping claims of sovereignty over all of the South China Sea, a huge source of hydrocarbons. Several countries in the region including Vietnam, the Philippines and Brunei, have counterclaims.