36TH ASEAN SUMMIT

South China Sea incidents amid COVID-19 ‘alarming’ –Duterte

President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday renewed his call for claimants in the South China Sea to refrain from undertaking activities that caused instability in the region.

Speaking at the 36th Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) Summit via videoconference, Duterte said “alarming incidents in the South China Sea occurred” even as the region struggled to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Duterte did not specify the incidents even though the Philippines filed diplomatic protests last April over China's unilateral establishment of two districts that cover Manila-claimed territories in the disputed sea and a Chinese vessel directing a radar gun at a Philippine Navy ship.

“We call on parties to refrain from escalating tensions and abide by responsibilities under international law, notably the 1982 UNCLOS [United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea],” Duterte said.

“We urge all parties to adhere to the rule of law and to their commitments to international instruments, including the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.”

China claims a huge swathe of the South China Sea as part of its territory, but the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague invalidated this claim in July 2016 following a case filed by the Philippines in 2013.

Beijing does not recognize the ruling which was temporarily set aside by Duterte in pursuit of warmer trade and economic relations with the Asian power.

Aside from the Philippines and China, other claimants included Vietnam, Taiwan, Brunei, and Malaysia. Taiwan and China were not ASEAN members.

Constraints on deliverables

Duterte also disclosed “real constraints in dealing with our deliverables” with regard to the crafting of a code of conduct in the South China Sea.

“We must find innovative ways and exercise flexibility to achieve our common goals. We remain committed to working closely with member states and China towards the early conclusion of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the South China Sea,” he said.

The Philippines is currently the dialogue coordinator between China and the ASEAN on negotiations for a code of conduct aimed at preventing disputes from escalating into an armed conflict.

Duterte’s spokesperson Harry Roque said at least five leaders, including Duterte, raised the issue of the South China Sea dispute during the summit.

US-China rivalry

The President also reminded ASEAN about the rivalry between the United States and China, saying the COVID-19 pandemic “added a new layer to this complex relationship."

“We must also not lose sight of the geopolitical shifts that have [accelerated] in the past six months. The rivalry between the United States and China was already well underway before this crisis,” he said.

“The Great Powers will continue to draw us into their respective camps. We should continue to nimbly engage them in ways that most [benefit us]. We must insist on an open and rules-based international order that gives all countries – large or small – not just one voice, but an equal standing.”

Tensions between the world’s two largest economies have escalated after the US intelligence community accused China of concealing the severity of the outbreak in its country.

The US and China had also been locked in a trade conflict and sparred over human rights issues. — DVM, GMA News