Op-Ed piece from the Manila Times (Oct 7): No agreement to work under Unclos

YESTERDAY’S issues of some newspapers (including The Manila Times) reported the astonishing news that at the First Expanded Asean Maritime Forum held in Manila on Friday “Asean, China agree to work under international laws....” The Chinese representative to the EAMF may have agreed in principle to commit his country into heeding international laws that prevent actual conflict and war from breaking out between China and the Asean member states that are claiming islands, reefs and shoals in the West Philippine Sea. For every member of the United Nations is committed to observe the law that disputes must be resolved peacefully and follow the principle that forbids the use of military might to pursue national aims. But does this mean that China has dropped its opposition to internationalizing the disputes in the West Philippine Sea? Of course not....

http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/news/headlines-mt/32682-no-agreement-to-work-under-unclos