Taiwan conflict, maritime code to figure in ASEAN talks, Marcos says
Philippine President Ferdinand听惭补谤肠辞蝉听Jr has said the prospect of tensions escalating over听罢补颈飞补苍听was a “grave concern” to Southeast Asian leaders and discussions about it were inevitable at this week’s summit in Indonesia.
“Considering that we agree on the concept of听础厂贰础狈听centrality when it comes to regional concerns, that will be one of the most important subjects that we will bring up,” Mr.听惭补谤肠辞蝉听told reporters late on Tuesday.
Mr. Marcos was in Indonesia for the聽, where he will seek the completion of a听肠辞诲别听of conduct for the South China Sea.
“I will bring it up again,” Mr. Marcos said. “The issues … they will not calm down until we have a听肠辞诲别听of conduct.”
The Philippines, which won an arbitration case in 2016 that clarified its sovereign rights and invalidated China’s claim of historic jurisdiction over the entire South China Sea, has complained of late about Beijing’s聽.
China听蝉补测蝉听it is operating lawfully in its territory.
Mr. Marcos was in the United States last week and met counterpart Joe Biden, after which he secured a聽聽from Washington that it would聽聽if attacked in the South China Sea.
础厂贰础狈听and China have been working towards a听尘补谤颈迟颈尘别听肠辞诲别听of conduct following a commitment they made in 2001, a set of rules that many analysts expect will, if they materialise, be non-binding and have no enforcement mechanism.
China’s claims run more than 1,500 km (932 miles) off its coast and into the exclusive economic zones of five听础厂贰础狈听countries – Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia – where Beijing’s coast guard and armada of fishing vessels have been accused of using intimidation tactics.
Mr. Marcos said he hoped the听肠辞诲别听of conduct would be in place “sooner rather than later because the tensions are increasing.” – Reuters
