UK Wants Philippines To 'Feel Supported' As It Stands Up For International Law: British Minister

The United Kingdom's Minister of State for Defense, Baroness Annabel Goldie, said during her visit to the Philippines that Britain wants the Southeast Asian nation to "feel supported" as it faces the threat of China. The U.K.'s show of support comes at a time when tensions are high in a disputed shoal at the Spratly Islands.

"When a wrong is done, it's important that people don't feel isolated. We want the Philippines to feel supported, and that's part of my visit here," Goldie, U.K.'s minister of state for defense for Indo-Pacific, told CNN Philippines in an interview Thursday, when asked why stepping up maritime engagement with the Philippines was important to the European country.

Goldie said the U.K. and the Philippines share "the same values," and the two countries were "aligned in wanting to stand up for international law, wanting to have the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) both respected and implemented."

She added she was looking into "opportunities" for the U.K. to further support the Philippines as it defends territorial rights under international laws.

"We think part of the strength which the Philippines can demonstrate to the rest of the world is they have friends – that they are not alone," she said.

The U.K. government said in a press release Wednesday that Goldie's visit to the Philippines sought to strengthen the countries' relationship and "shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific." Goldie said she was looking to discuss how the countries can "deepen our defense cooperation."

Also on Thursday, Goldie met with Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) inspector general Lt. Gen. William Gonzales wherein the two nations affirmed their commitment to defense relations.

The British defense official also visited the Philippine Navy's (PN) headquarters Thursday. Goldie and PN flag officer in command Vice Adm. Toribio Adaci Jr. discussed current challenges to rules-based international systems and potential further collaborations in defense and maritime cooperation, as per a press release.

Goldie's visit to the Philippines is at the same time as the Southeast Asian nation's joint military exercises with the U.S., UK, Japan, Canada, France, Australia and Malaysia, which comes to an end Friday. The two-week Sama Sama (Together) Exercises were focused on maritime surveillance activities, anti-submarine warfare (ASW) training, and other maritime drills.

Great Britain and the Philippines have had formal diplomatic relations for 77 years, and the allies have reaffirmed commitment to strengthening trade, investment, and other economic and bilateral ties.

The U.K.'s reaffirmation of its defense support for the Philippines came amid escalating tensions with China in the disputed Second Thomas Shoal, located in the Spratly Islands.

Earlier this week, China said it had "indisputable sovereignty" over the shoal it calls Ren'ai Jiao (Ayungin Shoal in the Philippines). Beijing has also reiterated its claims in the South China Sea through a new map that upgraded its infamous nine-dash line to a 10-dash line.

The two sides exchanged words over the dispute at Scarborough Shoal, but the focus is now on Second Thomas Shoal, which is within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.

A 2016 international arbitral award invalidated most of China's claims within the South China Sea and ruled overwhelmingly in favor of the Philippines, but Beijing has repeatedly rejected the ruling.