By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz | Philippine News Agency
Denmark’s foreign minister visited the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Monday and discussed with officials the Chinese aggression in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) as it prepares to join the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) next year.
Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs Lars Løkke Rasmussen said Denmark’s position in the UNSC would be an opportunity to underline the importance of upholding international law to address challenges to freedom of navigation at sea.
Rasmussen said his visit to the PCG was significant as Denmark is a big maritime nation.
“The freedom to navigate is crucial for us, it’s crucial for world trade and it’s crucial for everybody,” Rasmussen said.
Such challenges, he said, include PCG encounters with the China Coast Guard (CCG) and the situation in the Red Sea linked to the Houthi rebels.
“I’m here to witness first-hand the challenges linked to the Philippines upholding their own territory and to listen about incidents about the CCG and what we could do about all of this,” he said.
Rasmussen’s two-day trip is the first official visit by a Denmark foreign affairs minister to the Philippines in 25 years.
He was briefed about the maritime tensions, with the CCG repeatedly using water cannons and conducting dangerous maneuvers against Philippine vessels.
“[We also discussed] what can be done in international fora to force all countries, including China, to uphold regulations in the conventions,” he said.
He added that Denmark has joined the United States-led coalition in the Red Sea to address the situation with the Houthis.
“In certain situations, we can actually join in a more operational manner in our capacity. That’s not the case here [in the Philippines]. Of course, we can do our utmost in all international areas, advocating that all countries have to oblige with the conventions,” he said.
He added there are “no concrete plans yet” to join the Philippines in a military exercise.
In June, the UN General Assembly elected Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama, and Somalia to the UNSC to replace Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, and Switzerland, whose terms end Dec. 31.
The new UNSC members will join as non-permanent members for two-year terms starting Jan. 1, 2025.
Danish FM also in talks with DFA to strengthen PH-Denmark diplomatic ties
Meanwhile, Rasmussen also met with Foreign Affairs Sec. Enrique Manalo and discussed the further deepening of the partnership between the Philippines and Denmark.
“We have identified and agreed on the ways forward and follow through actions to advance concrete cooperation, including in the areas of reskilling and upskilling Filipino seafarers; accelerated development and deployment of renewable energy sources; and possible coast guard-to-coast guard engagement,” Manalo said in a statement.
Noting Denmark’s need for healthcare workers, Manalo said they agreed to work towards a bilateral agreement that would “ensure fair, ethical recruitment, as well as sustainable education and training of Filipino healthcare workers.”
The two top diplomats also tackled regional and international issues.
Manalo said Rasmussen clearly expressed his solidarity with the Philippines and support for the 2016 Arbitral Award, indicting Denmark’s principled stance on security and stability.
He added that this underscores Denmark as a “like-minded champion” of the rules-based international order.
“We discussed our respective positions on the Indo-Pacific and Ukraine and expressed concerns regarding the threats to peace and stability in these two geopolitical flashpoints,” Manalo said.
