Philippines calls on neighbors to work together to resolve territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea
Kyiv • UNN
The Philippines is calling on its neighbors to act collectively to uphold international law in its disputes with China in the South China Sea, amid China's willingness to use force to resolve territorial conflicts.
The Philippines calls on neighboring countries to unite to uphold the rule of law in the South China Sea to resolve territorial conflicts with China. According to AP, this was stated by Philippine Foreign Minister Enrique Manalo, reports UNN.
Details
Manalo spoke at a forum on maritime cooperation on the sidelines of the Southeast Asian Leaders' Summit in Melbourne, Australia. He referred to the Philippines' victory over China in a 2016 arbitration court in The Hague, which invalidated most of Beijing's territorial claims in the South China Sea. China did not recognize the decision.
Manalo said that the Philippines filed the lawsuit to uphold the rule of law and promote the peaceful settlement of such disputes.
The co-management of the seas and oceans in the region obliges us to come together to uphold the rule of international law so that we can ensure equitable and sustainable outcomes for all. It also calls on us to stand firmly together in opposition to actions that are contrary to or inconsistent with international law
Manalo urged the region's neighbors to choose cooperation over confrontation and diplomacy over the threat of force. He emphasized that in order for the South China Sea, as well as other seas and oceans in the Indo-Pacific region, to become a unifying area, countries must adhere to collective responsibility.
The Chinese Embassy in the Philippines said on Sunday that "China has always been committed to properly resolving South China Sea disputes with relevant parties through dialogue and consultation, firmly upholding its territorial sovereignty and its maritime rights and interests.
The statement accuses the Philippines of using the South China Sea to launch a "malicious defamatory campaign against China.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong echoed Manalo's words, saying that the nine member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations represented at the Melbourne summit should "create and defend agreed rules, uphold international law, prevent conflict and build strategic trust.
Context
China claims sovereignty over virtually all of the South China Sea, which is one of the world's most important waterways for shipping. This puts it at odds with the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Brunei, which claim islands, reefs, and underwater resources in the region.
In November, Australia and the Philippines conducted joint naval and air patrols in the South China Sea for the first time. In December, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in an interview with the Manalo newspaper that China would continue to put military pressure on the Philippines in the South China Sea.
