Italian leaders expressed support for the Philippines’ move to bring its territorial dispute with China before an international tribunal during their meeting with President Aquino here yesterday. Aquino held separate meetings with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and President Sergio Mattarella to strengthen diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Italy, which will mark 70 years in 2017. The issue of the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) was tackled in both meetings, with leaders saying that the Philippines did the right thing in seeking a rules-based solution. “Italy affirms the Philippines’ adherence to UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) in upholding freedom of navigation and acknowledges that the Philippines has taken an appropriate path to peaceful dispute resolution,” Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said.

Romero, A. (2015, December 4). Italy backs Philippines on UN arbitration over sea dispute. The Philippine Star, pp. 1, 17.