Urgent Call for South China Sea Code of Conduct
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr demanded an accelerated pace in negotiating a code of conduct for the South China Sea during a Southeast Asia summit. Amidst rising tensions with China, Marcos urged ASEAN and China to address disputes to prevent regional conflicts involving global powers.
In a fervent appeal at a regional summit, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr urged Southeast Asian countries and China to expedite negotiations on a long-overdue code of conduct for the South China Sea. Marcos emphasized the need for urgent progress and called for parties to show willingness to manage differences and reduce ongoing tensions.
Addressing fellow leaders, including Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Marcos expressed concerns over confrontations between China and the Philippines, which he described as increasingly tense. He underscored the importance of swiftly reaching a substantive agreement, noting accusations of aggression against China's coast guard and highlighting the potential involvement of the United States under a defense treaty.
The South China Sea disputes have persisted for years, with a code of conduct agreed in principle in 2002 but formalized discussions starting only in 2017. Marcos lamented the slow progress and the inability of involved nations to concur on fundamental concepts, like 'self-restraint'. The summit also addressed other regional issues, including a strategic partnership between South Korea and ASEAN, and the crisis in Myanmar.
(With inputs from agencies.)