Poland has expressed concern about Russia's close cooperation with China as they supposedly impose coercion on the entire world.
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski is wary of the threats that the two "powerful" countries are bringing as they have already turned to "revisionism" and "changing borders."
He made the pronouncement on Wednesday, Sept. 4, as he discussed with Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo the two countries' continued activities in their respective regions.
"During our meeting, Secretary Manalo and I extensively discussed security issues, primarily the war in Ukraine and, of course, the situation in the Indo-Pacific," Sikorski said in his remark before members of the media.
"We discussed the destructive impact of the order based on the logic of force and coercion pushed by the Russian Federation on the entire world, and expressed our concerns about Russia's close cooperation with China," he added.
Russia's war on Ukraine must be taken as not only something that is a regional conflict but also something that has global consequences.
Sikorski said it has an impact on energy and food security across the world.
"Fulfilling Russia's imperial neo-colonial ambitions and allowing the principles of international order to be undermined in Ukraine will have more serious consequences, opening the way to similar revisionist actions in other parts of the world," Sikorski warned.
Poland supports Ukraine as much as it supports an open Indo-Pacific that is currently facing threats, especially from China.
Sikorski said Warsaw would like to see an Indo-Pacific that is open, inclusive and free from any form of coercion.
"Keeping the South China Sea open is vital, not only to European supply chains but also to many other economies dependent on energy, resources imports and for the inhabitants of the region."
He said that the freedom of navigation is a fundamental principle under international law.
"Any attempt to undermine this principle should be met with adequate response by international community," he stressed.
"We think that arbitration under UNCLOS should be followed, should be honored, and therefore, the Philippines has our solidarity on this matter," he added.
Manalo expressed the Philippines' commitment to maintain the South China Sea as a region of peace and stability as well as of prosperity.
He said that in an era marked by unprecedented challenges and complex geopolitical dynamics, "it is imperative that we uphold the principle to safeguard the sovereignty and the rights of all nations."
He said that all states, regardless of size and power, must also ensure that they fulfill their obligations under international law.