Philippines calls on China, ASEAN to urgently negotiate South China Sea code

VIENTIANE/BEIJING – Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr urged Southeast Asian leaders and China at a regional summit on October 10 to urgently accelerate negotiations on a code of conduct for the China Sea southern region, while accusing Beijing of harassment and intimidation.

Speaking in Laos to ASEAN leaders and Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Marcos said substantial progress was needed and all parties should “be sincerely open to seriously managing disputes” and reducing tensions.

China and the Philippines, allies of the United States, are at odds over a succession of clashes near disputed areas in the South China Sea, with Manila accusing the Chinese coast guard of aggression and Beijing furious over it. which he calls provocations and repeated territorial incursions.

The bickering has been fierce and has sparked regional concerns about an escalation that could eventually involve the United States, which has a 1951 defense treaty that commits it to defending the Philippines if attacked.

“There should be more urgency in the pace of negotiations on the ASEAN-China Code of Conduct,” Marcos said during the meeting, according to a statement from his office.

“It is regrettable that the overall situation in the South China Sea remains tense and unchanged. We continue to experience harassment and intimidation.

In a speech on October 11, Li urged countries beyond the Southeast Asian region to respect and support China’s peace efforts in the South China Sea and play a constructive role in regional peace and stability. No nations have been named.

Without referring to any country or incident, Li said China has always insisted on resolving disputes with relevant countries through dialogue and consultation and actively conducting practical cooperation at sea, reported the official Xinhua news agency.

Mr. Li also said that China and ASEAN countries “strive to reach an early conclusion” of the code of conduct.

Based on its ancient maps, China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea and has deployed a coast guard fleet deep into Southeast Asia, including in China’s exclusive economic zones. Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines and Vietnam.

It’s not the stop

The idea of ​​a maritime code was first agreed between China and ASEAN in 2002, but the formal process of creating such a code did not begin until 2017.

Progress since then has been painfully slow, with years spent discussing the framework and modalities of the negotiations and guidelines issued to try to speed things up. Some Asean members are concerned that the code of conduct is not legally binding.

Asean Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn, in an interview with Reuters, said of the process: “It is not static, it is not at a standstill.”

Mr. Marcos expressed frustration that the parties involved cannot agree on even simple things, adding that “the definition of a concept as fundamental as ‘restraint’ is not yet the subject of of a consensus”.

ASEAN leaders were joined in Laos on October 10 by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, new Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, ahead of the plenary meeting of the East Asia Summit on October 11.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol and Japan’s Ishiba held their first summit in Laos on October 10, as the neighbors seek to deepen security and economic ties.

Mr. Yoon insisted on restoring relations with Tokyo and intensifying trilateral security cooperation, involving Washington as a top diplomatic priority, building on the progress made by Mr. Yoon and Mr. Ishiba’s predecessor, Fumio Kishida .

Supply Chain Resilience

South Korea and ASEAN announced in Vientiane that they have established a comprehensive strategic partnership, which Yoon said would expand cooperation in the defense industry and help strengthen ASEAN’s cybersecurity capabilities. .

Negotiations were also concluded on upgrading an ASEAN-China free trade zone, according to the Singapore government, which covers customs, supply chain connectivity, competition and consumer protection , as well as non-tariff barriers.

ASEAN leaders also committed to improving the resilience, innovation and competitiveness of regional supply chains and accelerating efforts to negotiate and upgrade free trade agreements.

The Laos summit also discussed a crisis in Myanmar that began with a military coup in 2021 and has since escalated into civil war.

The conflict has torn Asean apart, with differing views among its members testing its unity, credibility and ability to respond decisively to issues within the 10-member bloc.

On October 10, ASEAN leaders urged all parties to end violence and attacks against civilians and supported efforts to find a peaceful solution, including increased cooperation with Myanmar’s neighboring states. and the United Nations to combat the crisis and its broader impacts, including drugs and crime.

Western countries have taken a tougher line than Asean, imposing sanctions and accusing Myanmar’s generals of committing systematic atrocities. The junta called this disinformation.

Mr Marcos earlier said Asean’s formal peace process, the “Five-Point Consensus”, had not worked so far and the bloc was now trying to “think of new strategies”.

“We have to admit… that we haven’t really managed to really improve the situation,” Mr. Marcos told reporters, according to his office. REUTERS