At China-ASEAN summit, Philippines links maritime cooperation with regional peace

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – Noting that maritime cooperation was “significant” to the Philippines, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Wednesday it was possible only in a secure and stable region.

“We must emphasize that practical cooperation in the maritime domain can only flourish with an enabling environment of regional peace, security, and stability, anchored in international law,” Marcos told a summit of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders with China in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Marcos underscored the need to enhance ASEAN connectivity and supply chain, stressing that “maritime cooperation is especially significant to the Philippines as an archipelagic nation,” a statement from his office said.

Jakarta has been hosting the 43rd summit of ASEAN leaders since Monday and the regional bloc is also holding summits with its partners, including China, the US, and Japan among others.

China and many ASEAN member nations share a maritime boundary in the disputed South China Sea where they have overlapping claims.

Recalling the latest negotiations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (CoC) held in Manila, Marcos said: “Some progress was made in discussing the milestone issues and a preliminary review of the Single Draft Negotiating Text (SDNT).”

“The early conclusion of an effective and substantive CoC that is in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention for the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), remains the goal for ASEAN and China,” he added.

Malaysia and Singapore also pushed for the finalization of the CoC during the ASEAN-China Summit, the statement added.