Manila, June 2 -- The European Union (EU) rejects any use of coercion and is willing to defend international law in Asia Pacific, including the South China Sea (SCS) issue, its top diplomat said Monday.

"We reject any unilateral changes to the status quo, including the use of coercion," European Commission High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas said in a joint presser in Makati City.

"Of course, we are supporting all the partners who are believers of international law, and we are willing to defend the law as well because if you don't defend the law, then the situation is -- in the world, in global sphere -- much, much different," she added.

Kallas was responding to a question of what the bloc considers ...