Marcos tells Japan parliament: Rules must govern seas, not force

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday said that the Philippines and Japan pledged to strengthen maritime cooperation amid tensions in the South China Sea.

Marcos made the statement in his historic address at Japan’s National Diet, the country’s national legislature.

He noted that the Philippines and Japan both support a rules-based approach to addressing maritime disputes.

“In an increasingly complex Indo-Pacific where tensions test the resilience of a rules-based order, our two nations remain unwavering in our commitment to uphold international law, promote stability, and advocate for the peaceful settlement of disputes,” said Marcos.

“We affirm our deep respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity and our fundamental belief that all states, regardless of size or power, are equal, have a voice, and are free to pursue their development in accordance with international norms and law,” he added.

The Chief Executive also said that the two countries support that seas must be open and “governed by rules and not by force,” noting that the Philippines will commemorate the 10th anniversary of its arbitral award.

“As maritime democracies, the Philippines and Japan are committed to strengthening maritime security and ensuring that our seas remain open, secure, and governed by rules and not by force,” said Marcos. “The Philippines remains at the forefront of upholding a rules-based maritime order.”

“In July of this year, we mark the 10th anniversary of the arbitral award on the South China Sea, which embodies the Philippines' determination to resolve disputes through peaceful means and mechanisms that are provided under international law,” he added.

The Philippines refers to parts of the South China Sea that are within its exclusive economic zone as the West Philippine Sea—or maritime areas on the western side of the Philippine archipelago, including the Luzon Sea and the waters around, within, and adjacent to the Kalayaan Island Group and Bajo de Masinloc.

The 2016 arbitration ruling upheld the Philippines' exclusive economic zone over China's historical claims in the South China Sea under UNCLOS. Beijing has never recognized the decision.

Marcos said his four-day state visit is expected to strengthen ties between Manila and Tokyo when it comes to defense and security.

“This partnership finds concrete expression in our deepening defense and security cooperation through frameworks such as the Reciprocal Access Agreement, the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement, and Japan’s official security assistance program—which supports the Philippines in enhancing its maritime domain awareness and defense capabilities,” he added.

Marcos was welcomed at the Japanese parliament by Sekiguchi Masakazu, president of the House of Councilors. He was joined by his wife, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, as well as some Cabinet members. — VBL, GMA News