Kerry's push for Code of Conduct in South China Sea boosts PH stance in maritime row - DFA

From InterAksyon (Feb 18): Kerry's push for Code of Conduct in South China Sea boosts PH stance in maritime row - DFA

The Department of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday welcomed remarks made by United States Secretary of State John Kerry prodding the ASEAN to fast-track work for the early conclusion of the Code Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea, where the Philippines is one of five claimants in a dispute with China.

DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez said Kerry's statements are "fully in line" with Manila’s consistent stance for a rules-based approach and a peaceful resolution to the multilateral maritime row, where Manila and Hanoi have been among the most engaged protagonists in a continuing word war with Beijing.

"The Philippines welcomes the reported comments of US Secretary of State John Kerry made recently in Jakarta on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea," Hernandez said Tuesday .

Manila has been directed by an UN Arbitral Tribunal to present on March 30 its so-called “Memorial” or memorandum summarizing arguments and evidence to bolster its side in a complaint it filed against Beijing in early 2013.

Kerry’s comments, made in a meeting with ASEAN Secretary-General Le Luong Minh at ASEAN headquarters in Jakarta, highlighted the importance of exercising self-restraint and the early conclusion of the COC. Hernandez said such comments “are fully in line with the basic Philippine and Asean stance that we should move expeditiously to conclude a binding Code of Conduct in order to reinforce regional peace, security and stability.”

The basis for a COC is the 2002 Declaration on the Code of Conduct (DOC) between China and ASEAN, meant to counter aggressive actions in the region and urging all claimant-states to ensure peace and stability in what are believed to be resource-rich waters.

The COC has no dispute-settlement mechanism.

The US, which has declared a strategic pivot of its military and defense resources to the Asia Pacific Region, has always cited its "strategic interest" in ensuring peace and stability in the region, considered a vital lane for $5 billion in commerce. Washington also said that while it takes no side in the multilateral disputes in the South China Sea, it will take action necessary to always ensure freedom of navigation.

It recently engaged in a word war with Beijing over the latter’s declaration of an air defense identification zone (ADIZ) in the East China Sea where Beijing and Tokyo have a long-standing territorial dispute. Washington prodded Beijing to be “transparent” about its reported plans to set up a similar zone in the South China Sea, a move widely seen to escalate tensions.

The Southeast Asia, Kerry had said, is at the core of Washington's pivot to Asia policy, which was declared as US moved to bolster its relationships with its allies in the region—especially South Korea, Japan and the Philippines, with which it has standing defense cooperation treaties.

The pivot was announced as China started upping the ante in its push to assert dominance in the region, with a variety of steps ramping up its political, economic and military might in the region.

The US is also helping the Philippines, its former colony, build a minimum credible defense posture to better patrol its territorial waters, after Beijing escalated the maritime tensions with its de facto occupation of the Philippine-controlled Panatag Shoal in 2012.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/81011/kerrys-push-for-code-of-conduct-in-south-china-sea-boosts-ph-stance-in-maritime-row---dfa