Philippines’ President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. attends the retreat session at the 43rd ASEAN Summit in Jakarta on September 5, 2023. (Photo by Mast IRHAM / POOL / AFP)
JAKARTA, Indonesia — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday continued to try to diffuse South China Sea tensions by appealing to world leaders to oppose dangerous use of militia in the disputed waters.
During the 43rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, Marcos addressed different leaders from around the world, including China.
“The Philippines fully supports adherence to international law and the rules-based order. We must oppose the dangerous use of coast guard and maritime militia vessels in the South China Sea. We are concerned over illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, and the militarization of reclaimed features in the South China Sea,” said Marcos in the Asean-East Asia Summit.
Marcos did not point to any specific party. Not even China, whose repeated aggression towards Filipino vessels in the West Philippine Sea has earned the ire of the international community.
For example, the Chinese Coast Guard attacked Filipino vessels in the Ayungin Shoal in August.
“We are concerned over consistent actions that are in violation of obligations under international law, including the 1982 Unclos (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea), and under the DOC (Declaration on Conduct of the Parties in the South China Sea),” Marcos said.
This is not the first time during this year’s Asean Summit that Marcos made a stance regarding the South China Sea.
On Tuesday, Marcos warned that misunderstanding in the South China Sea dispute can spell dire consequences for all parties.
Marcos again repeated his appeal to involved parties in the dispute to practice self-restraint.
“We must not allow tensions in the South China Sea to further escalate. In this spirit and in accordance with the DOC, we continue to urge all parties to exercise self-restraint and refrain from unilateral and assertive activities that would increase tensions in the region, misunderstandings, and miscalculations in the South China Sea,” said Marcos.
Other nations in the meeting were Australia, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and the United States.
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