West Philippine Sea tensions take spotlight at Palace meeting

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Singaporean President Tharman Shanmugaratnam on Thursday reaffirmed their commitment to address regional issues and enhance cooperation, with a particular focus on the South China Sea (SCS), which overlaps the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

During their bilateral meeting in Malacañang, Marcos emphasized the importance of the South China Sea to both nations due to their geographic proximity.

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

“We look forward to the opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to maintain and promote peace, security, and stability in the region, as well as our strong support for the peaceful resolution of any such disputes,” Marcos added, amid the rising tensions between claimant states to the SCS, including superpower China.

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,” he 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.

During Marcos’ keynote address at the International Institute for Strategic Studies’ Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore last May, the President said that peace and stability in the South China Sea is a “world issue.”

With the Philippines’ tenacity in protecting its rights and claims in the West Philippine Sea, including in its exclusive economic zone, tensions between Beijing and Manila have surged in the past year or so.

As China uses the water cannons of its coast guard to try to thwart Philippine missions both to Ayungin and Panatag Shoals, confrontations between the two nations at sea have been tense and unstable.