ASEAN needs to speak out more on South China Sea: Philippine foreign secretary
MANILA-BEIJING TENSIONS IN SCS
China and the Philippines have been at loggerheads over a string of confrontations in the South China Sea, with Manila criticising China’s coast guard of aggression and Beijing complaining of what it calls territorial incursions.
Mr Manalo said that besides ASEAN, traditional trading partners such as the United States and the European Union are also supportive of the Philippines’ rights to assert its sovereignty.
“(They) are supportive of our approach of hammering on the importance of international law, asserting our rights and increasing our partnerships. The actions we are taking are very legal,” he said.
Still, the diplomat said that while tensions simmer, avenues remain for Manila and Beijing to work out their differences.
“Our vessels… have been ramped, there has been water cannoning, some of our fishermen have been shooed away from their traditional fishing area. These are the challenges which we have consistently taken up with China,” he said.
“The aim is to see how we can manage them peacefully,” he noted, adding that diplomats from both nations meet about twice a year to iron out issues.
He highlighted the Philippines’ relationship with Vietnam as an example of “the commitment to resolving differences peacefully, and not through threats”.
The two nations have a complicated relationship over overlapping claims in the South China Sea, but ties have improved in recent years, Mr Manalo said.
“In fact, we are strategic partners now. In the maritime area, we have reached understandings on how to enhance our maritime cooperation,” he said.
“We’ve agreed that differences should be resolved peacefully through diplomatic means and dialogue, using international law as the basis.”
He added that speaking out on the conflict with China benefits not only his country, but also others in the region.
“By speaking out like that, more and more countries are now realising that maybe it’s time to seriously see how we (can) faithfully implement the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,” he said.
