Locsin says no assurance of self-restraint from China in disputed territory

SINGAPORE–China didn’t give any commmitment to the Southeast Asian nations on how it would exercise self-restraint in the South China Sea amid growing concerns over its reclamation and militarization in the disputed territory, the country’s top envoy said Thursday.

During the Asean-China Summit on Wednesday, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said President Rodrigo Duterte called for Asean nations and China to exercise restraint in the conduct of activities in the heavily disputed South China Sea during their meeting here.

Chinese President Xi Jinping skipped the event but Chinese Premier Li Keqiang attended the summit with regional leaders.

Asked about China’s commitment in exercising self-restraint in the disputed sea, Locsin said China was silent.

“China didn’t say anything. But the President was very clear: ‘Let’s exercise restraint’ and there was no response, which is you can interpret it as you want but it was rather bold of our President to bring it up. The use of the word restriant,” he told reporters in a press briefing here.

Locsin, however, said China was committed for the completion of a code of conduct in the South China Sea

“China had its own statement on the issues. Yes, they are in favor of pushing through with the code of conduct as fast as we can make it,” he said.

Duterte earlier told his fellow leaders during a working dinner at the opening of the summit here that the Philippines was committed to the “early conclusion of an effective code of conduct.”

A code of conduct in the South China Sea is seen to maintain peace and stability in the tension-filled waterway.

READ: Duterte: PH committed to quick completion of South China Sea code

The Philippines, China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei Darussalam, and Taiwan have overlapping claims in the South China Sea.

China claims nearly the entire South China Sea, including parts of the West Philippine Sea, but the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague invalidated this in July 2016, fasvoring the Philippines’ claims in the area.

But China refused to recognize the sea ruling. /jpv