President Ferdinand Marcos on Friday called for resolving South China Sea (SCS) tensions following recent incidents between China and the Philippines.
Addressing the 19th East Asia Summit, President Marcos emphasized open dialogue to manage disputes and reduce tensions, citing Chinese harassment of Philippine vessels in the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
“These kinds of behavior cannot be ignored, and demand of us concerted and serious efforts to truly manage our disputes in the South China Sea,” the President stressed.
Despite some positive developments, tensions persist, the president noted, citing incidents in August when Chinese vessels harassed Philippine Coast Guard ships during routine patrols in the Philippines’ EEZ.
More recently, Chinese military ships intimidated Philippine civilian vessels, violating international maritime laws.
He also called for including maritime security and environmental protection in summit initiatives to prevent miscalculations in the contested waters.
President Marcos urged speeding up negotiations for a binding ASEAN-China Code of Conduct to prevent miscalculations in the contested waters.
He also proposed adding SCS-related issues to East Asia Summit initiatives, including improving maritime domain awareness, environmental protection, and safety of navigation.
The President stressed the importance of a rules-based international order under the UN Charter, which he said is essential for ensuring sovereignty, territorial integrity, and peaceful dispute resolution.
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