Eyes and ears will be focused on the 43rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit and Related Summits this week, where President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is participating.
The 65-year-old leader said in his departure speech Monday he would tackle the South China Sea and other matters important to the region during the three-day gathering ending tomorrow.
His statement gains relevance after the governments of the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Taiwan all rejected China’s new national map, accusing Beijing of claiming their respective territories.
China published the map to correct what it claims are “problematic maps” that misrepresent its territorial borders.
India immediately protested against the map, declaring it only complicates the resolution of the boundary question
With all speed the governments in the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan joined India in rejecting China’s new national map, separately issuing strongly worded statements accusing Beijing of claiming their territory.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said aptly, reacting to the Chinese move, “Just making absurd claims does not make other people’s territories yours.”
The Marcos government itself banged with force China’s 2023 edition of its so-called “standard map” that still shows swaths of Philippine features in the West Philippine Sea.
“This latest attempt to legitimize China’s purported sovereignty and jurisdiction over Philippine features and maritime zones has no basis under international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,” Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza said in a statement.
The Philippines called on China to act responsibly and abide by its obligations under UNCLOS and the final and binding 2016 Arbitral Award.
The Philippines also underscored its non-recognition of China’s fishing ban in parts of the West Philippine Sea where Filipino fisher folk have been earning their livelihood for scores.
We agree with Philippine officials who said the fishing ban is an illegal exercise of state authority in so far as it covers the Philippines’ maritime zones.
Now eyes and ears will knuckle down to the meeting in Jakarta where Asean leaders will have a chance to discuss issues affecting the critical South China Sea.
We hear yet again President Marcos during his departure: “I will use this opportunity to advance Philippine priorities in Asean and work with our other Asean member states not only in addressing the complex challenges facing the region but also in pursuing opportunities for (the bloc) Asean as an ‘epicentrum of growth.’”
Much is expected from the President’s participation in the meeting of the 10-nation bloc which we expect will highlight Manila’s advocacies in promoting a rules-based international order.
The President said this was an opportunity for Asean to strengthen its partnerships with other states in the region—Australia, Canada, China, India, Japan, South Korea, and the United States—as well as with the United Nations.
Hopeful for positive results.