By Esra Tekin
ISTANBUL (AA) – Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos urged ASEAN on Thursday to unite and address the “dangerous use” of coast guard and maritime “militia vessels” in the South China Sea, emphasizing his country’s sovereignty and maritime jurisdiction in its waters.
“We must not allow tensions in the South China Sea to further escalate,” he said during the 18th East Asia Summit in the presence of Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Marcos’ comments came after Manila charged China with “blocking” the passage of its two vessels in the disputed South China Sea in July.
Manila and Beijing have counter-claims in the disputed South China Sea, which has seen persistent tensions between maritime neighbors.
Marcos expressed the importance of maintaining the DoC's (Declaration on the Conduct of Parties) principles, encouraging all parties to exercise self-restraint and avoid unilateral and assertive actions that could escalate tensions, foster misunderstandings, or lead to miscalculations in the South China Sea, according to the Philippines Presidency Office.
The 18th East China Summit in Indonesia brought together officials from the US, China, Russia, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
US Vice President Kamala Harris, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attended the summit on the sidelines of the 43rd ASEAN summit in Jakarta.
Besides the ASEAN leaders, the South Korean president, and the prime ministers of Japan, India, Canada, and Australia were among the participants.