Aquino: World stands to lose in war due to sea dispute

President Benigno Aquino III has warned that the whole world stands to lose should a war ensue between the claimants of the disputed territories in the South China Sea.

In the Publish Asia conference in Manila on Wednesday, Aquino said all claimants had recognized the futility of turning the territorial dispute into a full-scale war.

“I think all claimant countries in the South China Sea recognize, and other countries that are adjacent to the sea that are not claimant countries, all realize that war is a futile exercise … nobody stands to gain and, in fact, the whole world stands to lose if it does amount to war,” Aquino said.

The President said the Philippines had no illusions it could wage war with other countries.

Recognizing the fact that the country could not measure up with China in military might, Aquino said the Philippines had been asking the superpower to adhere to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) to end instability in the region through peaceful means.

“We say that we are both signatories to Unclos. Unclos gives us a certain set of entitlements and obligations. And that stability has to come about when there is clarity as to each one’s entitlements rather than what one wants to assert out of national interest,” he said.

“The uncertainty breeds instability, instability does not promote prosperity. Therefore, let us resolve with certainty the issues that are before us: Who is entitled to what? And what is each one’s obligations relative to this entitlements?” the President added.

The Philippines has brought its territorial dispute with China to an arbitration court at The Hague. The said court is expected to release a ruling before May.

Apart from China and the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims on the waters. RC