Marcos: South China Sea shouldn’t be ‘nexus for armed conflict’

LABUAN BAJO — President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. renewed his call for the early conclusion of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea during the 42nd ASEAN Summit, saying that the region should not be a "nexus" for armed conflict.

At the 42nd ASEAN Summit Retreat Session, Marcos also expressed his commitment to the enforcement of the Declaration of the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC).

“We will continue to urge all to abide by the 1982 UNCLOS, as ‘the constitution of the oceans.’ We must ensure that the South China Sea does not become a nexus for armed conflict,” Marcos said.

“We must avoid the ascendance of might and the aggressive revision of the international order. In an increasingly volatile world, we require constraints on power contained by the force of the rule of law,” he added.

According to the Chief Executive, the rules-based regional architecture should be underpinned by the centrality of the regional bloc towards inclusive engagement in the Indo-Pacific region.

He said that the Philippines would remain firm in upholding its rights under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) despite continued attempts to deny the country's sovereign rights in the region.

Myanmar

Meanwhile, Marcos also reiterated his call for the immediate cessation of violence in Myanmar, noting that the Five-Point Consensus should be enforced.

“We continue to call on Myanmar to abide by and implement the Five-Point Consensus, and for our external partners to complement ASEAN's efforts in the context of the Five-Point Consensus,” Marcos said.

He was also concerned over the tension in the Korean Peninsula as he cited the need “to abide by prevailing UN Security Council Resolutions and to engage in dialogue with concerned parties towards the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.”

When it comes to the ongoing hostilities between Russia and Ukraine, Marcos urged the countries concerned to search for a peaceful resolution to the conflict. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News