Marcos to ASEAN: South China Sea should not become 'nexus for armed conflict'

 From CNN Philippines (May 11, 2023): Marcos to ASEAN: South China Sea should not become 'nexus for armed conflict' (By CNN Philippines Staff)

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 11) — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday called on fellow Southeast Asian leaders to work together in preventing armed conflict in the disputed South China Sea, and renewed his call for the early conclusion of a rules-based conduct in the area.

Marcos noted the country’s concern over recent incidents that infringe on its rights in the contested waterway and reiterated the need for a code of conduct anchored on the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

"We must ensure that the South China Sea does not become a nexus for armed conflict," he said during his intervention at the 42nd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit Retreat Session in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia.

"We must avoid the ascendance of might and the aggressive revision of the international order. In an increasingly volatile world, we require constraints on power contained by the force of the rule of law," the president added.

His call came amid continued aggressive actions by Chinese vessels in the resource-rich waters, nearly all of which the East Asian giant claims as its own.

This is despite a 2016 arbitral ruling in The Hague that invalidated Beijing's sweeping claims over the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea, and recognized Manila's rights within its exclusive economic zone.

Among the more recent tense encounters between the two countries was the near-collision of a Philippine vessel with a much bigger Chinese ship due to the latter's "dangerous maneuvers" in the vicinity of Ayungin Shoal over two weeks ago.

In late April, the Philippine Coast Guard also reported that over 100 Chinese ships linger in the West Philippine Sea despite being asked to leave.

"Despite the continued incidents of Filipino vessels in our waters and attempts to deny and obstruct our ability to exercise our sovereign rights in our exclusive economic zone, the Philippines will remain firm in upholding and protecting our entitlements under UNCLOS," Marcos said.

In the same speech, the president also urged all sides to work towards the immediate cessation of violence in Myanmar.

"We continue to call on Myanmar to abide by and implement the Five-Point Consensus, and for our external partners to complement ASEAN's efforts in the context of the Five-Point Consensus," Marcos said.

He also expressed concern over the heightened tensions in the Korean Peninsula, saying the Philippines continues to underscore the need for North Korea to abide by prevailing United Nations Security Council resolutions.

https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2023/5/11/marcos-asean-summit-south-china-sea.html