Says no country, int’l body recognizes it
PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. on Tuesday said it may be difficult to move forward in talks with China on managing disputes in the South China Sea, with Beijing basing its expansive claim on its “10-dash line” which he said is “not recognized by any country, any international body, certainly not by the Philippines.”
The President made the statement in Berlin in a joint press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, during which the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to promoting a rules-based international order and agreed to expand this commitment “to contribute to the broader global community.”
Marcos said the Philippines has not rejected any proposal made by Beijing for the resolution of the territorial row but questioned the basis of its claim.
“We have not rejected any proposals that China has made to us but the premise is something that we questioned… that premise that China has made is that their territory follows what is now described as a 10-dash line,” he said.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) previously said China’s 10-dash line has no basis in law while National Security Adviser Eduardo Año said no country recognizes it. Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro said the 10-dash line of China is proof of its expansionist agenda.
A 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration found that China’s sweeping claims had no legal basis, but China rejects that.
Marcos said the Philippines’ territorial baseline had long been established, including its exclusive economic zone (EEZ), and the first article of the country’s Constitution clearly defines its territorial area, including maritime and land-based territory.
Marcos said China has been intruding in the country’s EEZ and it is his duty, as the President, to defend the country’s territory.
“Our baselines have been established for years now. We have the economic zone that China has already intruded upon and until that premise that China has made in terms of all its discussions with the Philippines, it is difficult to see a way forward,” Marcos added.
China has said it sent the Philippines several proposals which the latter ignored. The DFA on Tuesday said it had received several maritime-related proposals from China, but they could not be considered because they were against the Philippines’ national interests. Among the latest proposals from China was one where it “insisted on actions that would be deemed as acquiescence or recognition of China’s control and administration over the Ayungin Shoal.”
The DFA said it could not consider such a proposal “without violating the Constitution or international law.” Ayungin Shoal is inside the Philippines’ EEZ,
The President reiterated that the Philippines remains committed to addressing issues through dialogue and consultation, but “like any sovereign state, will continue to firmly defend its sovereignty, its sovereign rights, and jurisdiction, in accordance with international law.”
AGAIN, NOT AN INCH
Marcos, during his meeting with the Filipino community on Tuesday night in Berlin (Wednesday in Manila), reiterated that the Philippines would not give an inch of the country’s territory to any nation that is claiming otherwise.
“We are having problems with other countries which are claiming that our territory is theirs. But you can be sure we will not allow (any country to get part of our territory) it because it is very clear that these are part of the Philippines,” he said in Filipino.
The President also said Germany has been a strong supporter of the Philippines in its quest to keep the waters in the South China Sea open, secure, and peaceful, and both Manila and Berlin adhere to the rules-based order and seek the cooperation of all nations to abide by the principles of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The German Chancellor, during the joint conference, said it is important for everyone to adhere to international law.
Marcos and Scholz reaffirmed their respective countries’ commitment to promoting the rules-based international order.
“As like-minded partners, we reaffirmed our commitment to promoting the rules-based international order, extending our commitment beyond our own regions to contribute to the broader global community,” the President said.
WORLD’S INTEREST
Marcos said while there is no outright war in the South China Sea, there are worries among nations because of the increased tensions in the vital waterway.
He reiterated that the developments in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) in the South China Sea are not limited to the territorial dispute between the Philippines and China because a free and open South China Sea will benefit not just the Southeast Asia or Indo-Pacific region, but the entire world.
“It has to be recognized that the South China Sea handles the 60 percent of the trade of the entire world. So, it’s not solely the interest of the Philippines, or of ASEAN, or of Indo-Pacific region but the entire world. That is why it’s in all our interest to keep it as a safe passage for all international commerce that goes on in the South China Sea,” he said.
China continues to be aggressive in asserting its claim in the South China Sea, even in parts within the Philippines’ EEZ. It has harassed Philippine vessels in the WPS. In its latest bullying act, four Filipino Navy men were hurt during a resupply mission.
DEFENSE TIES
A DFA source said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is set to visit the country next week, and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa who will also be visiting, will discuss with their Philippine counterpart, Enrique Manalo, and other senior Filipino officials issues ways to further enhance trilateral economic and defense ties.
The source said Blinken will arrive on March 18.
Blinken, Kamikawa and Manalo will hold a meeting on March 20.
A report Wednesday in Japanese newspaper Asahi said Tokyo, Washington and Manila are in the final stages of planning a summit meeting in Washington D.C. next month.
The report said US President Joe Biden will host Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for an official visit to Washington on April 10.
President Marcos Jr. on the other hand will visit Washington from April 11 to 13 and will have an initial meeting with Biden on April 11 before they will be joined by Kishida at the White House.
The top-level meetings come amid the incidents of Chinese harassment in the WPS.
Manila has ongoing negotiations with Tokyo for a reciprocal access agreement that will allow a larger number of members of the Japanese Self Defense Forces to enter the country for joint training with their Filipino counterparts.
Tokyo has already provided 10-44 meter multi-role response vessels and two 97-meter large offshore patrol vessels to the Philippine Coast Guard.
It also donated five TC-90 fixed wing aircraft to the Philippine Navy while the Philippine Air Force has acquired four long-range air defense radars from Japan’s Mitsubishi Corporation as part of its effort to modernize its capability.
US-PH ACTIVITIES
Armed Forces chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr and US Indo-Pacific Command chief Adm. John Aquilino met on Tuesday in Camp Aguinaldo and discussed the WPS issue and other matters of mutual concern.
The meeting took place exactly a week after the Chinese harassed of a Philippine resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal.
“The West Philippine Sea issue was discussed (during the meeting) but more on the support that they have provided,” said Col. Xerxes Trinidad, chief of the AFP’s Public Affairs Office.
Trinidad did not provide specifics on the discussions on the WPS issue.
Trinidad said the meeting focus on the “continued cooperation between our two militaries.”
“And we will be pursuing our planned activities, including the “Balikatan” exercises – an annual huge-scale military exercise between the two armed forces that is due to be launched next month,” he added.
Trinidad said Brawner and Aquilino also discussed military cooperative activities in the WPS including the Balikatan exercises and projects under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement.
Also discussed was the “strengthening of coordination with other militaries from like-minded nations to advance the rules-based international order and secure a free and open Indo-Pacific region.” — Ashzel Hachero, Victor Reyes and Reuters
