Poland’s support of Philippines over South China Sea signals fears over trade, Russia
While Poland’s stance could anger China, it arose from its history of territorial losses to stronger states, analysts say
Polish Foreign Affairs Minister Radoslaw Sikorski expressed Warsaw’s position in his meetings with Philippine Defence Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jnr and Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo during his visit to Manila last week.
Sikorski told reporters at a press briefing on September 4 that Poland supported an open and inclusive Indo-Pacific that was “free from any form of coercion”.
“Keeping the South China Sea waterways is vital not only to European supply chains but also to many other economies dependent on energy imports,” Sikorski said.
Freedom of navigation, according to the Polish official, is a fundamental principle enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos), an international treaty that establishes a legal framework for all marine and maritime activities.
“Any attempt to undermine this principle should be met by adequate response by the international community,” he said.
Under Unclos, Manila’s territorial sea extends up to 12 nautical miles (22.2km) from its baseline. Its exclusive economic zone stretches up to 200 nautical miles, within which it has sovereign rights to explore, exploit and manage natural resources.
