Marcos: South China Sea situation tense, unchanged
PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. yesterday called attention to China’s increased aggression in the West Philippine Sea in the South China Sea and its harassment of Philippine vessels as he stressed the urgency of passing a code of conduct.
The President, at the 27th ASEAN-China Summit in Laos, said China’s aggression “demonstrates the continued disregard of international law and standards, particularly UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) and the 1972 Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS).”
“It is regrettable that the overall situation in the South China Sea remains tense and unchanged,” Marcos said, adding that the Philippines continues to be subjected to harassment and intimidation by the Chinese.
The idea of a maritime code was first agreed between China and ASEAN in 2002 but the formal process of creating one did not start until 2017.
Progress has since been painstakingly slow, with years spent discussing the framework and modalities for negotiations and guidelines issued to try to speed it up. Some ASEAN members are concerned the code of conduct will not be legally binding.
ASEAN’s Secretary General Kao Kim Hourn, in an interview with Reuters, said of the process, “It’s not static, it’s not standstill.”
Marcos voiced frustration that parties involved could not agree on even simple things, adding “the definition of a concept as basic as self-restraint does not yet enjoy consensus.”
Asked about the remarks, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said China was committed to promoting consultations on the code and has always insisted on handling disputes through dialogue and consultation.
“At the same time, China firmly opposes any infringement and provocation, and firmly safeguards its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests,” Mao told a regular briefing
Marcos related several incidents of Chinese aggression, like one in August this year when, he said, Philippine vessels endured aggression and harassment from the China Coast Guard in the Escoda Shoal during a routine maritime patrol, and on three separate occasions, it blasted horns, used water cannons, and rammed maritime vessels.
He said even civilian fisheries vessels and aircraft were targeted by lasers and subjected to intimidation by ships of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
“Such behavior is not unnoticed by our respective publics and the international community as well. They will require a concerted and urgent effort to adopt measures to prevent their recurrence,” the President said.
CODE OF CONDUCT
Maros said all parties concerned must be “earnestly open to seriously managing differences” and to reduce tension.
“In our view, there should be more urgency in the pace of the negotiations of the ASEAN-China Code of Conduct (COC),” he said.
“It is time that we tackle these milestone issues directly so we can make substantive progress moving forward,” he added.
The President also said the Philippines remains committed to deepening and extending ASEAN-China relations “in a comprehensive manner, thereby contributing further to the region’s long-term peace, development and cooperation,” despite the recent incidents.
China, based on its nine-dash theory, now 10-dash theory, is claiming almost the entire South China Sea.
ASEAN members the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei and Malaysia are also claimants to the South China Sea.
A 2016 ruling from the International Court of Arbitration at the Hague invalidated China’s claim but Beijing refused to acknowledge it.
Marcos joined other ASEAN Leaders in Laos for the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits which included meetings with the heads of state of China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia that were held yesterday.
ASEAN leaders were joined in Laos by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japan’s new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, ahead of Friday’s East Asia Summit plenary gathering.
TRANSNATIONAL CRIMES
During the ASEAN-Japan Summit, the President warned that the increasing threats from transnational problems and unilateral actions in the East and South China Sea undermine the peace and stability of the region.
“The common problems in our region are increasingly transnational in nature. Unilateral actions in the East and in the South China Sea continue to undermine peace and stability in the region,” Marcos said at the 27th ASEAN-Japan Summit.
He asked his fellow leaders to remain resolute in addressing the challenges and to remain “steadfast in our responsibility, building on mutual trust, in upholding maritime security and cooperation, territorial integrity, disarmament, and the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.”
President Marcos commended Japan’s commitment to partnering for peace and stability through the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting Plus.
The ARF is a platform dedicated to security dialogues in the Indo-Pacific region, where members develop cooperative measures to mitigate the impacts of compounding crises and enhance peace and security.
The ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) Plus is a dialogue platform for ASEAN and its eight Dialogue Partners — Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Russia and the United States. It aims to strengthen security and defense cooperation among member states.
“The Philippines looks forward to advancing our partnership through our co-chairing of the ADMM Plus Experts’ Working Group on Maritime Security for 2024 to 2027,” Marcos said.
DENUCLEARIZATION
The President, at the ASEAN-Republic of Korea (ROK) Summit, also reaffirmed the Philippines’ support for peace and stability, as well as the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
Marcos had also urged the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea or North Korea, to constructively respond and abide by the rule of international law.
He also said that the Philippines looks to continuing collaborative efforts to promote peace and stability in the region, particularly through maritime safety, security, and the protection of marine environments.
He welcomed the launch of the Comprehensive Strategic Partner initiative between the ASEAN and South Korea, which he said would result in increased ASEAN-ROK collaboration on various areas.
He acknowledged ROK’s contributions to upskilling in the region through the ASEAN-ROK Technical Vocational Education and Training for ASEAN Mobility Project to improve the quality of its systems, and enhance its resilience and adaptability to technological advancements, digitalization, health emergencies, and climate change.
CYBERSECURITY, DIGITIZATION
The President emphasized the need for more investments on cybersecurity protections amid the continuing growth of the ASEAN’s digital economy.
“We should lay the groundwork for a safe and trusted digital environment that can propel ASEAN into a new era of innovation, growth, and opportunity. With the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) poised to boost our region’s digital economy to $2 trillion by 2030, it is critical that we invest in robust cybersecurity protections, equip our people with digital skills, and build the digital infrastructure necessary to secure ASEAN’s path to becoming the fourth largest economy in the world,” Marcos said.
The ASEAN Summit and Related Summit will be concluded today.
Marcos is expected to return to Manila by late today.
MYANMAR CRISIS
The Laos summits also discussed a crisis in Myanmar that started with a 2021 military coup and has since spiraled into a civil war.
The conflict has dogged ASEAN, with different opinions among its members testing its unity, credibility and its ability to respond decisively to problems within the 10-member bloc.
The ASEAN leaders urged all sides to halt violence and attacks on civilians and backed efforts to find a peaceful solution, including more cooperation with Myanmar’s neighboring states and the United Nations to tackle the crisis and its wider impacts, including narcotics and crime.
Western countries have taken a tougher line than ASEAN, imposing sanctions and accusing Myanmar’s generals of committing systematic atrocities. The junta has called that misinformation.
Marcos earlier said ASEAN’s formal peace process, the “Five-Point Consensus (5PC),” had not worked so far and the bloc was now “trying to think of new strategies.”
“We have to admit … we have not been very successful in actually improving the situation,” Marcos told reporters, according to his office.
The 5PC calls for the immediate cessation of violence; conduct of constructive dialogue seeking a peaceful solution to the conflict; facilitation of a special envoy of ASEAN for mediation of the dialogue process; ASEAN’s provision of humanitarian assistance; and a special envoy’s visit to Myanmar to meet with all parties concerned.
The President said the Philippines remains committed to the 5PC. — With Reuters
