PH, Japanese lawmakers sign document promoting rule of law at sea

Philippine Congressmen, led by Representative Rodolfo Biazon, and Japanese Parliamentarians sign a joint document for cooperation on promotion of rule of law at sea Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2014. MATIKAS SANTOS/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Japanese and Philippine congressmen signed Wednesday a joint document calling for the promotion of rule of law at sea amid ongoing tensions with China.

Hiroshi Nakada, head of the Japanese Delegation and a member of the House of Representatives of Japan, said that the document aimed to bring together congressmen from both countries in order to promote the resolution of conflicts in a peaceful manner.

“[We want to] achieve peace and safety in the seas. [To do that] members of parliament should get together to discuss ways to resolve such conflicts,” Hiroshi said during the press briefing.

Both the Philippine side, led by Representative Rodolfo Biazon, and the Japanese side agreed that there should be no “unilateral use of force to change the status quo” in disputed waters.

Thirteen Filipino congressmen and six from the Japanese parliament have signed the document, which states that “(a) states should make and clarify their claims based on international law; (b) states should not use force or coercion in pursuing their claims; and (c) states shall seek to settle disputes by peaceful means and avoid any unilateral attempts to change the status quo through force or coercion.”

“We are campaigning for a peaceful resolution,” Biazon said.

“We need to include security concerns against encroachment and poaching,” he said.

Biazon clarified that the signing of the document was just the first step and both sides would still need to raise it before their respective national governments.

Japan has a dispute over islands in the East China Sea while the Philippines has a maritime dispute over in the South China Sea including the Spratly Group of Islands.

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