Coercive moves in SCS hit

JAKARTA, Indonesia — Without naming the specific country responsible for unlawful actions, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. expressed alarm about the increasing militarization and other coercive activities in the South China Sea, but called on parties to the disputes in the significant waterway to exercise self-restraint and resolve their differences peacefully.

During a meeting between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and South Korea on Wednesday, Marcos Jr. said: "We share concerns on the militarization of reclaimed features; the dangerous use of coast guard and maritime militia vessels; and other coercive activities."

"We are equally alarmed by illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing which are being detected," he said.

Misleading narratives
Marcos Jr. also rejected misleading narratives that frame the disputes in the South China Sea attributed to the geopolitical tension between China and the United States.

"The Philippines firmly rejects misleading narratives that frame the disputes in the South China Sea solely through the lens of strategic competition between two powerful countries," he said. "This not only denies us our independence, our agency, but it also disregards our own legitimate interests."

Marcos reiterated the Philippines' commitment to the peaceful resolution of the disputes in the South China Sea.

He said the Philippines will continue to uphold freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea in accordance with international law.

"We do not seek conflict," Marcos said. "But it is our duty as citizens and as leaders to always rise and meet any challenge to our sovereignty, to our sovereign rights, and our maritime jurisdiction in the South China Sea."

He said it should be the ultimate measure of their commitment to securing peace and stability in the region.

"History will ultimately judge whether the supremacy of the rule of law will prevail, ushering in an era where all nations truly stand as equals, independent and unswayed by any single, outside power," Marcos said.

"The challenge for us remains — we must never allow the international peaceful order to be subjected to the forces of might apply for a hegemonic ambition. The future of peace rests now on how we, together, face this challenge to that peace," he added.

The President expressed his gratitude to South Korea for its ongoing support in upholding the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea as a fundamental component of the internationally recognized system of rules. This support is particularly crucial as the region confronts unilateral efforts to alter the existing situation in its waters.

"We, thus, thank the Republic of Korea, together with Japan and the United States, for reiterating the importance of international law in maintaining stability in the Indo-Pacific during the meetings recently held in Camp David," he said.

Early completion of CoC
He also called for the early completion of a practical and substantive Code of Conduct or CoC in the South China Sea.

During his intervention at the 26th ASEAN-China Summit here, Marcos reaffirmed the Philippines' commitment to rules-based order in the South China Sea.

"The early conclusion of an effective and substantive CoC that is in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS, remains the goal for ASEAN and China," he said.

Marcos expressed hope ASEAN and China could progress in the negotiations for a CoC in the SCS. He highlighted the importance of cooperation between ASEAN and China in trade, investment and connectivity.

He said such cooperation could help achieve the goal of making ASEAN the "epicentrum of growth."

"The ongoing ASEAN-China Free Trade Area 3.0 Upgrade Negotiations will also encourage stronger ties between ASEAN and China," Marcos said. "It is also our hope that we identify and leverage on the complementarities between China's Belt and Road Initiative and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific."

Cold War
China's Premier Li Qiang said countries must oppose a new Cold War.

His remarks came as leaders and top officials, including US Vice President Kamala Harris, gathered to discuss various issues that have overshadowed ASEAN meetings this week.

Beijing has voiced alarm over US-backed blocs emerging at its borders while also contending with disagreements with other regional countries over the South China Sea and other matters.

Li cautioned that disagreements and conflicts between nations could arise due to misunderstandings, conflicting interests, or external interventions.

"Disagreements and disputes may arise between countries due to misperceptions, diverging interests, or external interferences," Li Qiang said at the start of an ASEAN-Plus-Three meeting with Japan and South Korea in Jakarta.

"We have been committed to treating each other sincerely, and our political mutual trust has grown deeper," Li said. "No matter how the international situation evolves, China and ASEAN have maintained close exchanges and communication, respecting each other's development path."

China, which has emphasized that regional parties should be in charge of resolving disputes like those involving the South China Sea, stressed that "China-ASEAN cooperation has come a long way" due to their shared "understanding about hardships."

In August, Chinese Coast Guard ships recently obstructed Philippine resupply boats in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone and used water cannons on them.

China asserts control over almost the entire South China Sea, but the international tribunal in The Hague rejected this assertion in 2016 after a case was brought by the Philippines in 2013.

Despite the tribunal's decision, Beijing has consistently disregarded and downplayed it, maintaining that it possesses an "undeniable" and "historical" right to most of the waters, even as it encroaches on the territories of smaller neighboring countries like the Philippines.

Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam all contest China's extensive claims in the South China Sea.