Manila, March 26 -- The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Wednesday welcomed the Group of Seven's (G7) recent objection to the "increasing use" of dangerous maneuvers and water cannons against Philippine vessels in the South China Sea.

The G7 foreign ministers, who held a meeting in Charlevoix, Quebec in Canada on March 12 to 14, recently hit "efforts to restrict freedom of navigation and overflight" through militarization and coercion in the South China Sea, describing these as a violation of international law.

It condemned China's "illicit, provocative, coercive, and dangerous actions" in the Indo-Pacific and expressed concern over dangerous maneuvers against Philippines and Vietnamese vessels.

"The Philippines welcomes anew the...