Phl, SG eyes regional cooperation, SCS stability

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Singaporean President Tharman Shanmugaratnam on Thursday reaffirmed their commitment to addressing regional issues and enhancing cooperation, with a particular focus on the South China Sea, also known as the West Philippine Sea.

During their bilateral meeting in Malacañang, Marcos emphasized the importance of the South China Sea to both nations due to their geographic proximity amid rising tensions between claimant states, including superpower China.

“Aside from bilateral issues, we also discussed regional issues of mutual interest. As geographical neighbors in Southeast Asnia, the South China Sea holds great importance to both our countries,” Marcos said.

“We look forward to the opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to maintaining and promoting peace, security, and stability in the region, as well as our strong support for the peaceful resolution of any such disputes,” he added.

In response, Shanmugaratnam highlighted Singapore's established position on the South China Sea, saying that it is "an extremely important issue."

"Singapore’s position is well known. We consistently uphold the rights of all states to freedom of navigation and overflight,” Shanmugaratnam said.

Shanmugaratnam reiterated Singapore’s strong support for resolving disputes through peaceful means and adherence to international law, specifically the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

“We strongly support the peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law, including UNCLOS. That’s fundamental,” he said. “UNCLOS has to be the legal framework within which all activities in the oceans and seas are carried out,” he added.