Peace yes, victory no

PRAGUE, Czech Republic — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said his forthcoming trilateral meetings with Japan and the United States will focus on preserving the peace in the West Philippine Sea rather than seeking victory in the region’s conflict.

In an interview with reporters after his joint press conference with Czech Republic President Petr Pavel on Thursday (local time), Marcos said his trilateral engagement will aim to uphold peace in the Indo-Pacific region.

“It is really an ongoing process, and all of these discussions are, as far as the Philippines is concerned, for the maintenance of peace in the South China Sea,” Marcos said when asked what he expected from the meeting with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken next week.

“With an eye not to winning any kind of conflict but really just to maintain the peace and to continue to defend the sovereignty and sovereign rights of the Philippines when it comes to these international differences,” he said.

Marcos reiterated the importance of the South China Sea issue, emphasizing that it is crucial since most of the world’s trade flows through this region.

“A safe navigation and passage in the South China Sea is important to international trade, as 60 percent of international trade goes through that channel, and we hope to continue these discussions,” he said.

He earlier said that the upcoming trilateral meeting between officials from the Philippines, the United States, and Japan aims to formalize and enhance the cooperation among the three nations.

He said the agenda for the meeting in Manila was still being discussed among officials in Washington, Tokyo, and the Philippine capital.

The high-level discussions come in the wake of recent hostilities between Chinese and Philippine vessels in the disputed South China Sea, actions that have drawn condemnation from the United States, Japan, and other countries.

China accusations

Marcos on Friday rejected accusations by China that the Philippines is instigating disputes in the South China Sea.

The Chief Executive refuted the claims on Friday afternoon (local time) after Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin urged the Philippines not to side with external forces to disrupt peace in the South China Sea.

In addition, China National Offshore Oil Corporation recently announced a significant oilfield discovery in the South China Sea, with an estimated volume of 100 million tons.

This discovery has raised questions about the future of negotiations for joint oil exploration between the Philippines and China.

In an interview with the Philippine media delegation here, Marcos emphasized that the Philippines is focused on domestic affairs and improving the lives of its citizens.

The Chief Executive further mentioned that he is unaware of the basis for China’s accusation, and that the Philippines never caused any commotions in the disputed waters.

“We don’t know of any instance where the Philippines has instigated anything, at any point, both verbally, or militarily, or diplomatically,” Marcos said.

“We were busy, we are busy, we have been busy in running the country and making the best life of Filipinos. We did not begin all of these problems. All of these commotions were not caused by the Philippines. So I don’t know what they are referring to,” Marcos added.

Peaceful resolutions

During his visits to Germany and the Czech Republic, Marcos has consistently advocated for a peaceful resolution to the issues, emphasizing the importance of upholding international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea

Marcos emphasized the paramount importance of upholding the Philippines’ sovereignty and territorial integrity in any such discussions.

“The sovereignty and the sovereign rights and our territorial jurisdictions remain key in all of these talks,” Marcos said. “We cannot, at any point, somehow compromise the territorial integrity of the Philippines,” he added.

While acknowledging the potential for dialogue regarding joint oil exploration, President Marcos reiterated that the Philippines’ guiding principle in such negotiations would be the preservation of its territorial sovereignty.

“That is the guiding principle that I’m following whenever it comes to all of these things,” he affirmed.

In Prague, Czech President Petr Pavel on Thursday (local time) expressed his support for the Philippines’ rights to freedom of navigation and trade.

Full support

In his remarks during the joint press conference with President Ferdinand Marcos at the Prague Castle, Patel said the Czech Republic and the rest of the international community stand behind the Philippines in asserting its rights over the West Philippine Sea.

“We fully support the Philippines when it comes to their entitlement to free movement of goods because that’s a principle — not only we all respect but it also secures global and regional stability,” Patel said.

“To us, the South China Sea may seem to be far, far away but if you take into account the percentage or share of the world or global trade that passes through this area, any disruption on these routes would have an adverse impact on Europe, not only in the form of shortage of goods but also soaring prices, which is why we have to pay attention to this topic,” Patel added.