President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. called for “self-restraint, mutually beneficial cooperation, meaningful dialogue, and constructive engagement” in addressing tensions in the South China Sea during the 28th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-China Summit on Tuesday. 

In his address, Marcos reaffirmed the Philippines’ commitment to diplomacy and cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China while firmly asserting the country’s rights under international law.

“The Philippines stands ready to work with ASEAN and China to translate our commitments into meaningful outcomes through mutually beneficial cooperation. It must be clear, however, that this cooperation cannot exist alongside coercion,” Marcos said.

The President emphasized that the Philippines continues to support the crafting of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea, one that aligns with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). He said the COC must protect the rights of all parties and ensure responsible conduct at sea.

“By grounding our partnership in mutual respect for sovereign equality and adherence to international law, we can ensure that ASEAN-China cooperation delivers tangible and meaningful benefits to our peoples,” Marcos added.

Marcos encouraged ASEAN and China to explore joint initiatives under the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) framework, including scientific cooperation in ocean meteorology to enhance maritime safety and protect marine biodiversity. 

He also proposed mechanisms to allow artisanal fisherfolk access to traditional fishing grounds without interference and to prevent incidents in contested waters.

The Philippine leader underscored the need for self-restraint among all parties, warning that provocative actions threaten regional peace and stability.

“If we truly want the South China Sea to remain a sea of peace, stability, and prosperity, we must not lose sight of the importance of self-restraint. Failure to restrain provocative and dangerous actions threatens the peace we have collectively built,” he said.

Marcos also raised concerns over continuing harassment of Filipino fisherfolk and vessels, as well as unilateral declarations of marine protected zones such as the so-called “nature reserve” in Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal).

He denounced such actions as violations of Philippine sovereignty and international law, stressing that they “cannot hide under the veneer of marine environmental protection.”

Despite ongoing tensions, Marcos reiterated the Philippines’ commitment to diplomacy and dialogue. 

He cited the Provisional Understanding with China, which enabled ten successful and incident-free rotation and resupply (RORE) missions to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas Shoal).

“Our Provisional Understanding is one demonstration of how effective diplomacy and candid dialogue can ease tensions and produce positive outcomes. We should widen our diplomatic creativity for this purpose,” Marcos said.