THE Philippines has raised concerns over recent incidents in the West Philippine Sea, particularly those that endangered its vessels and personnel, during the latest round of negotiations between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and China on the “Code of Conduct” on the South China Sea, the Department of Foreign Affairs said yesterday.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, in an interview, said the April 9 to 11 talks hosted by the Philippines also discussed “milestone issues, especially the relationship between the Declaration of Conduct or DOC which was adopted in 2002, and the Code of Conduct (COC) and what is the relationship.”
The “milestone issues” refer to critical points, including the code’s scope and whether it can be legally binding.
Manalo, asked if the DFA raised the recent incidents in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), including harassment by Chinese vessels of Filipino vessels conducting routine patrols and resupply missions, said, “Of course, that’s all related. In fact, it’s one of the issues why we need to have a COC.”
The Philippines has been wrangling with China in the WPS in the South China Sea and their vessels, more particularly in the past two years. Chinese coast guard vessels have fired water cannons and harassed Philippine Coast Guard and small fishing vessels patrolling and plying their trade in the area.
The WPS refers to parts of the South China, which are inside the Philippines’ 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone.
The DFA, in a statement, said the negotiations “continued to tackle the paragraphs of the draft COC, including the so-called “milestone” issues, in line with the commitment of Asean and China to conclude a substantive and effective Code in an early fashion.”\
“The meeting was an opportunity for the Philippines to strongly call for the need to adhere to international law, particularly the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award,” the DFA said, referring to the arbitral ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration which dismissed China’s massive claim in the South China Sea, with the panel ruling that Beijing’s so-called nine dash line has no legal or historical basis.
China has refused to honor the arbitral ruling and insisted on its claim over nearly the entire South China Sea which is being claimed in part by Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan, aside from the Philippines.
“The Philippines voiced its concerns on the situation in the West Philippine Sea, especially with regard to recent incidents that posed risks to Philippine vessels and personnel, and actions by other countries that infringed on the Philippines’ sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction,” the DFA added.
The department said it also reiterated Manila’s commitment to resolve disputes peacefully and to pursue “constructive diplomatic approaches” in managing differences at sea.
MORE TALKS
Manalo acknowledged there will be more talks and negotiations this year and next year before a more “effective and substantive COC” could be forged between Asean and China.
“I don’t want to jump ahead. We’ll have to discuss that if the COC is enough to resolve the disputes when we get there. As I said there are going to be negotiations,” he said.
The next round of negotiations will be held in Malaysia later in the year, the DFA said.
Manalo also acknowledged how complex the issue is, saying any negotiation will have to take t into account “all the views of all the countries on these issues.”
It will be recalled that in 2023, Asean foreign ministers and China adopted the “Guidelines on Accelerating the Early Conclusion of the Code of Conduct” and agreed to work towards concluding the COC within three years, or in 2026.
Experts said a legally binding COC will help lessen tension among claimant countries in the South China Sea and prevent the dispute from spiraling into an armed conflict.
The South China Sea remains a source of tension between China and its Southeast Asian neighbors, with ties between Beijing and US ally Manila at their worst in years amid frequent confrontations that have sparked concerns they could spiral into conflict.
In February, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) accused the Chinese navy of performing dangerous flight maneuvers near a government aircraft patrolling a disputed shoal, an account Beijing disputed.
Asean and China pledged in 2002 to create a code of conduct, but it took 15 years to start discussions, and progress has been slow.
GOOGLE MAP
The western side of the country has been labelled “West Philippine Sea” in Google Maps, search showed.
“For anyone wondering if you can search for the West Philippine Sea on Google,” said Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesman for the West Philippine Sea, on X yesterday.
This was followed by a tweet from government television network PTV.
It was unknown when the change was made. Netizens have said the change can be seen depending on the location of the Google Map user.
AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla welcomed the development.
“This affirms international recognition of the country’s sovereign rights, as upheld by the 2016 Arbitral Ruling under UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea),” said Padilla.
“As defenders of national sovereignty, the AFP sees this as a valuable contribution to truthful representation and public awareness,” Padilla also said.
Filipino troops are occupying nine features in the WPS, including Pag-asa Island which serves as the seat of government of the municipality of Kalayaan, Palawan.
“The AFP remain resolute in performing our mandate to protect our territory and uphold national integrity,” said Padilla. – With Victor Reyes and Reuters
