THE Philippines and New Zealand yesterday vowed to further strengthen relations and deepen cooperation between the two nations on trade and investment as well as maritime and defense issues, among others.
President Marcos Jr. and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon expressed serious concern over the South China Sea where the Philippines and China have had maritime run-ins, and reaffirmed their commitment to “sustaining maritime security cooperation, including bilateral and multilateral activities at sea, port, calls/visits and capacity-building efforts.”
In a joint statement, after their meeting, the two leaders committed to signing a mutual logistics supporting arrangement by the end of the year, and to conclude a status of visiting forces agreement (SOVFA) that will allow joint military exercises and humanitarian missions.
The Philippines has a visiting Forces Agreement with the United States and a SOVFA with Australia. It is set to sign a reciprocal access agreement with Japan soon.
The two nations also agreed to pursue maritime law enforcement to preserve peace and stability at sea and address common threats such as piracy, terrorism, contraband smuggling, wildlife trafficking, and irregular human migration.
They also supported further cooperation on humanitarian assistance and disaster response.
Marcos and Luxon reaffirmed the right of freedom of navigation and overflight and other lawful uses of the seas in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
They also reaffirmed that all parties must fully implement the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, recognized the 2016 arbitral award that invalidated China’s claim of almost the entire South China Sea, and reiterated support for ASEAN-led efforts for the early conclusion of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct for the South China Sea “that upholds the legitimate rights and interests of all parties and is consistent with UNCLOS.”
They also pushed for further cooperation on transnational organized crime and welcomed ongoing efforts to establish a memorandum of arrangement on the reciprocal exchange of information in the management of Trafficking in Persons matters between New Zealand and the Philippines.
Marcos and Luxon also emphasized the importance of more visa facilitation between the Philippines and New Zealand, and look forward to a review of a migrant workers arrangement, which will facilitate the recruitment of Filipino workers to New Zealand and other initiatives. There are nearly 80,000 Filipinos in New Zealand.
Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs said the Philippines’ decision to strengthen ties with Japan and the United States is a “sovereign choice” and urged China to “reflect upon its own actions” in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) in the South China Sea.
The DFA issued the statement in response to Beijing’s criticism of the trilateral summit last week among President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., US President Joe Biden, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, during which they vowed to further enhance relationship amid China’s dangerous and aggressive maneuvers in the West Philippine Sea in the South China Sea.
“It is the sovereign choice and decision of the Philippines to strengthen our alliance with the United States and our strategic partnership with Japan, in accordance with our national interests and in line with our independent foreign policy. Our actions are in line with international law and complement our commitments in other regional and multilateral forums,” the DFA said.
“The source of tension in our region is well known to all. China should reflect upon its own actions in the South China Sea and the West Philippine Sea. It is China’s excessive maritime claims and aggressive behavior, including its militarization of reclaimed features, that are undermining regional peace and stability and raising tensions.
The DFA said the trilateral summit provides the opportunity to build upon their robust bilateral relations, expand economic cooperation in support of the Philippines’ development goals, and reaffirm their resolute commitment to the shared fundamental values of freedom, democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law.
It added that the “trilateral cooperation is a partnership and a cooperative framework for the promotion of peace, stability and economic prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.”
“It is an admirable aspiration that should not be considered a threat by any peace-loving country,” the DFA further said, adding that the trilateral initiative is “another platform to further promote regional peace and security, it is only reasonable and responsible that the participants discuss regional security issues of mutual concern, challenges to the rule of law, and the peaceful resolution of outstanding disputes.”
RESPECT
The DAF told China to respect international laws, adding that the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the “final and legally binding” 2016 award of the Permanent Court of Arbitration provide definitive lawful basis for the determination of the sovereign rights and jurisdiction within the Philippines’ maritime entitlements.
The arbitral panel junked China’s massive claim in the South China Sea, saying its nine-dash line claim has no legal or historical basis.
China refused to abide by the arbitral award and insisted on bilateral talks to address the maritime territorial dispute. All the while, China has aggressively fortified its claim in the disputed waters, building man-made islands complete with military facilities and sending its coast guard and maritime militia vessels to enforce its claims, which in recent weeks include blocking and firing water cannons on Philippine ships conducting resupply missions to its outposts in the area and even on fishermen plying their trade.
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning earlier criticized the trilateral summit, saying Beijing vehemently opposes “stoking bloc confrontation” in the West Philippine Sea that, it added, threatens peace and stability in the region.
“Defense cooperation between any countries should be conducive to regional peace and stability. We oppose cobbling together exclusive groupings and stoking bloc confrontation in the region,” Mao added.
The DFA previously said the trilateral summit and the joint maritime patrols in the West Philippine Sea between Manila and its allies are not aimed at China. — With Ashzel Hachero and Reuters