DND welcomes China-ASEAN hotline on disputed waters

The Department of National Defense welcomed the news of China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) opening a hotline to quickly tackle issues arising from a maritime dispute over the South China Sea.

 

In a text message to GMA News Online on Saturday, DND spokesman Peter Galvez said the new development will hopefully ease tensions in the disputed waters, part of which Manila calls the West Philippine Sea.

 

“Keeping communication lines open between China and ASEAN is a positive step towards reducing tensions among all concerned parties, as well as decreasing the possibility of miscalculations in the West Philippine Sea,” Galvez said.

 

“Of course, the success of such an undertaking will depend on the willingness and sincerity of all the parties to abide by whatever rules will be adopted or agreed upon,” he continued.

ASEAN has yet to formulate a binding code of conduct in the South China Sea, a matter that the Philippines has been pushing for.

 

Galvez's statement comes after a senior official of the ASEAN revealed the plan in a Reuters report on Friday.

 

Tensions between China and some of its ASEAN neighbors, including the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia, have recently risen due to overlapping claims in the resource-rich sea.

 

In particular, China and Philippine relations have continuously soured due to various untoward encounters between Chinese coastguard personnel and Filipino fisherfolk.

 

China was also angered after the Philippines pursued an arbitration case on the maritime dispute before an international tribunal. — JDS, GMA News