ASEAN must uphold maritime order anchored in int'l law —Año

National Security Council (NSC) adviser Eduardo Año called on Southeast Asian nations to uphold a maritime order grounded in international law amid the ongoing tensions in the South China Sea. 

Año noted that it is important for the international community to reaffirm its commitment to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). 

“The real decision before us is about the kind of maritime order we want in our region: one grounded in international law, or one dictated by might,”  he said in his speech during the Dialogue on ASEAN Maritime Security in Manila on Wednesday. 

“In the face of the ongoing illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive actions occurring almost daily in the South China Sea, it is essential for regional states and the international community to reaffirm their commitment to the letter and spirit of UNCLOS,” he added. 

Tensions continue as Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual shipborne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.

An international arbitration tribunal in the Hague in 2016 ruled in favor of the Philippines over China's claims in the South China Sea, saying that it had "no legal basis." China has not recognized the decision.

Año also said that Manila is “working towards an effective” Code of Conduct in the South China Sea , which must be aligned with the 1982 UNCLOS. 

“Any proposal or attempt to exclude, sideline, or create exceptions to UNCLOS and the broader framework of international law in the proposed COC mechanisms reflects a lack of genuine intent and sincerity. ASEAN must remain steadfast and committed to the rule of law in the ongoing negotiations,” he said. 

Foreign Affairs Secretary Eduardo Manalo earlier said that the Philippines will push for “intensified negotiations” on a crucial “Code of Conduct” that aims to prevent a major conflict in the South China Sea during the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia next week. 

Further, Año said policymakers should focus on the current system in addressing the situation in the South China Sea. 

“While policymakers, diplomats, and political leaders often invest significant time and energy exploring alternative governance frameworks to curb maritime tensions, we sometimes overlook the fact that such a framework already exists. What is needed now is not a new system, but the resolve to defend, uphold, and enforce the one we already have,” he said.—LDF, GMA Integrated News