The Department of Foreign Affairs on Thursday reaffirmed its commitment to negotiate for a code of conduct between China and Southeast Asian nations to prevent war in the South China Sea.
This as geopolitical and marine science experts said a whole-of-community approach is needed to protect the marine environment in the West Philippine Sea amid continuous destructive activities by an “aggressive and coercive state.”
DFA Secretary Enrique Manalo said tensions in the South China Sea are not about a rivalry between superpowers the US and China, and that the Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations had legitimate rights and interests to uphold.
Manalo lamented that actions that are illegal in international law and against the UN charter are sometimes “rationalized under the pretext of this rivalry.”
“It obscures good judgment, actions that are clearly illegal in international law and against the UN charter are sometimes rationalized under the pretext of this rivalry,” he said.
The think-tank Stratbase, for its part, said the commitment to secure the territorial waters is not only limited to implementing the national security strategy but also extends to protecting the marine environment.
“To fulfill this commitment, the country must take a whole-of-community or a whole-of-Philippine society approach, including the government, private sector, and civil society organizations,” Stratbase Institute President Dindo Manhit said during a forum hosted in partnership with the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines.
Manhit noted that despite laws and agreements to protect maritime territories and their resources, issues continue to persist.
During the forum, marine science experts also emphasized the importance of international cooperation in the implementation of a new international accord, the High Seas Treaty, which aims to protect the marine environment in the South China Sea.
The treaty, also known as the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) agreement, ensures the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond a country’s national jurisdiction through international coordination.
University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute Professor Emeritus Dr. Rhodora Azanza said considering the Philippines’ expertise in marine protected areas, its active participation in the
implementation of the High Seas Treaty is deemed necessary.
“This international accord functions as an instrument in fostering environmental justice by ensuring the utilization of marine biodiversity beyond national borders and concurrently serves as the
pathway toward the realization of a sustainable blue economy, harmonizing with the country’s adept strategies for preserving marine resources and cultivating ecological integrity,” Azanza said.
ASEAN Center for Biodiversity’s Director for International Affairs and Treaties Dr. Mary Kristerie Baleva said the Philippines and other ASEAN countries can work together and leverage on the new treaty and similar multilateral environmental agreements in protecting the marine
environment in the South China Sea.
Similarly, Tohoku University International Law Professor Nishimoto Kentaro said the High Seas Treaty serves as an additional legal instrument that supports the UNCLOS and enables countries to
coordinate to establish marine protected areas.
The agreement was signed in June 2023 by 86 countries including the Philippines and China. The ratification of 60 countries is needed for the agreement to enter into force. As of now, only one country has ratified the agreement.