President says territorial row should not define PHL-China relationship

From the Philippine News Agency (Oct 23): President says territorial row should not define PHL-China relationship

President Benigno Aquino III said the territorial row with China on the West Philippine Sea issue should not define the relationship between the two nations.

"There have been discussions ongoing but we have to point out... the issues with regard to the dispute should not be the be all and end all of our relationship. Both sides are acting on that pronouncement," Aquino said at the annual Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines Presidential Forum held at the Manila Hotel.

Aquino also said there are now talks on the formulation of a Code of Conduct between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and China aimed to ease the territorial disputes.

"We raised this matter out in 2012 in Phnom Penh... we have to sit down and everybody has to show that image of cooperating and crafting the CoC, which will undoubtedly ease the tension in the sea with many names," Aquino said.

Aquino said the West Philippine Sea is a "very important body of water" that has to have freedom of navigation.

"This body of water which I labeled the 'sea with many names' is portion of the world where 40 percent of commerce would traverse," he said.

He said despite China's refusal to take part in the proceedings, the Philippines will continue to pursue the arbitration before the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea.

During the recent East Asia summit in Brunei, US Secretary of State John Kerry and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe backed the Philippines on its stand and called on China to resolve the dispute without the use of threat or force.

Kerry said stability in the disputed territories matter because Southeast Asia is home to some of the world's busiest ports and most critical sea lanes.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=579256