A CHINESE official said Tuesday the South China Sea was not an issue between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations—and in response to Malacañang’s statement that it would raise China’s reclamation activities in that area in the coming Asean meeting.
“I want to underscore that the South China Sea issue is not an issue between China and Asean,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said.
“The Chinese side is always against the attempt of few countries to damage the friendly relationship of cooperation between China and Asean by making use of the South China Sea issue.
“We are committed to working with Asean countries to fully implement the “dual-track approach” in handling and addressing the South China Sea issue and jointly uphold peace and stability of the South China Sea.”
Hong made his statement even as three senators supported Aquino’s move to take up the issue of China’s reclamation in South China Sea with other Asean leaders when they meet in Kuala Lumpur next week.
In the House, lawmakers protested what they described as China’s aggressiveness over its claim to the South China Sea.
Senators Bam Aquino, Aquilino Pimentel III and Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said it was only right that President Aquino should raise the Philippines’ territorial dispute with China with the community of nations.
“This is not only a Philippine issue but a global and regional issue,” Aquino said.
Pimentel said the Philippines should call its allies and appeal to China to look at the legal processes in international tribunals.
“The President should summon the Chinese ambassador to protest,” Marcos said.
Reps. Jonathan de la Cruz, Silvestre Bello III, Albee Benitez and Barry Gutierrez said the Philippines should find a way to compel China to respect the claims of the other countries over the South China Sea.
Hong said China was committed to upholding peace and stability in the disputed South China Sea.
Foreign Affairs Assistant secretary for Asean affairs Luis Cruz had earlier said President Aquino would give priority to seeking the support of the other Asean leaders against China’s aggressive reclamation activities in the disputed areas.
“Definitely, the reclamation issue will be the main topic that the President will raise during the agenda item of the retreat on discussions of regional and international issues,” Cruz said.
He said the Philippines would also push for an Asean statement against China’s activities.
The Philippines has sought international arbitration before a Netherlands-based tribunal to counter China’s massive claims over the South China Sea, but China has rejected it.
China uses the “nine-dash line” to claim ownership of almost the entire South China Sea, while the Philippines uses the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS as the basis for its claim.
Rep. Barry Gutierrez slammed China’s massive reclamation in the disputed South China Sea, saying the move was an outright invasion.
He said that the Philippine government must draw strength from the growing civilian constituency asserting and defending Philippine sovereignty as a response to China’s unchecked incursions in the region.