The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Thursday expressed full support for the Department of Foreign Affairs’ (DFA) push to finalize the long-delayed Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea.
PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela said in an ambush interview in Makati City that the agency fully supports the DFA and other Southeast Asian nations advocating for the adoption of a COC to manage disputes and prevent conflicts in the contested waters.
“For us, this is a very big development should this be finalized, especially next year when the Philippines chairs the ASEAN Summit,” Tarriela told reporters.
The proposed code aims to establish rules to prevent escalating tensions in the South China Sea from turning into a major armed conflict that could involve the United States, an ally of the Philippines, and other Asian countries with overlapping claims with China.
“The document reflects the consensus reached by all parties on seeking peaceful solutions to disputes and pursuing maritime cooperation in order to maintain regional stability in the South China Sea. This is in accordance with universally recognized principles of international law, including those enshrined in the UN Charter, the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, and the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia,” according to the ASEAN website.
Asked whether China would honor such an agreement, Tarriela said he could not speak for Beijing but noted that its record in adhering to international treaties should guide expectations. “There are a lot of treaties and international laws that they were signatories to, and that probably speaks for their behavior,” he said.
Four ASEAN member states—Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Brunei—are involved in long-standing territorial disputes. China and Taiwan also claim nearly the entire sea, which is a crucial route for global trade.
Parts of the South China Sea within Philippine territory have been renamed the West Philippine Sea to reinforce the country’s claim. The WPS covers maritime areas on the western side of the archipelago, including the Luzon Sea and waters surrounding the Kalayaan Island Group and Bajo de Masinloc. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines, declaring China’s expansive claims had “no legal basis.”
