President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will push for regional cooperation on five key issues, including maritime and food security, during the 40th and 41st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summits and Related Summits in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Before arriving in Phnom Penh, Mr. Marcos told the media aboard the Philippine Airlines flight that he is hoping to have “productive sessions” with other ASEAN leaders, as well the other dialogue partners of the regional bloc.
When asked how he intends to tackle the West Philippine Sea or South China Sea issue during the meetings, he said: “I think the Code of Conduct is medyo natutulog eh (a bit asleep). It is not really moving forward. Maybe we can do it using that, the Code of Conduct that is being proposed.”
“We already have actually, the previous declaration which we can base it on. That is one of the many suggestions that I am hoping to bring,” Mr. Marcos said.
The 10-member ASEAN and China have been negotiating for a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea the past few years to manage tensions amid competing claims there.
The President said the group needs to find a way to resolve the sea issue.
“But to do that, we have to first status quo everything. And that is what the Code of Conduct will do—to leave things as status quo. The first declaration that we had also said that, that no changes (should be made),” Mr. Marcos said.
The President said he hopes to discuss the matter with China’s leader Xi Jinping.
In his departure statement at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2, Mr. Marcos said: “My participation will promote and protect Philippine interests in ASEAN. We will emphasize regional cooperation on maritime security, climate change, food security, health cooperation, and economic recovery, among others.”
“We will also address regional issues such as the pandemic, the situation in Myanmar, developments in the South China Sea, and the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, among other important matters,” he added.
The President said it would be his first time to attend the ASEAN Summit, which will be held from November 10 to 13, as the country’s leader.
In addition, there would also be summits with ASEAN’s dialogue partners, including Australia, Canada, China, Japan, India, the Republic of Korea, and the United States, to review existing and new areas of cooperation and exchange of views on regional and international issues.
The President said he would convey the Philippines’ support for ASEAN centrality, for Cambodia as the current chairman of ASEAN, and for Indonesia, as the incoming chairman next year.
On the sidelines of the summit, the President is expected to meet with some of his counterparts in ASEAN and the bloc’s dialog partners.
“I will seek further cooperation in key priorities of my administration as well as how to explore what we can do to come together to address the most pressing issues in our region,” he said.
Mr. Marcos said he would seek to promote the Philippines “not only as an investment center but as a global partner for our ASEAN member-nations and for our friends around the world.”
This year’s ASEAN summits and related meetings carry the theme “ASEAN A.C.T.: Addressing Challenges Together.”
The chief executive said he is also looking forward to meeting the Filipino community in Cambodia.
Meanwhile, Malacañang said Vice President Sara Duterte was designated as officer-in-charge to “take care of the day-to-day operations in the Office of the President and oversee the general administration of the Executive Department.”