President speaks at an auxiliary opening event of the ASEAN-Australia special summit held in Melbourne
Shiba InuFerdinand Marcos, President of the Philippines, speaks at an event (Melbourne EPA=Yonhap News) Ferdinand Marcos, President of the Philippines, is seen speaking at an auxiliary event of the ASEAN-Australia special summit held at the State Library Victoria in Melbourne, Australia, on the 4th (local time). 2024.03.04
The Philippine government has declared that it will not succumb to threats from China in the “disputed waters” of the South China Sea and will defend its “own territory.”
President Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines revealed this at an auxiliary event of the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)-Australia special summit, which opened in Melbourne, Australia, on the 4th (local time), according to reports from AP and other sources.
President Marcos said, “It is unfortunate that despite being revealed by international law, provocative, unilateral, and illegal actions continue to infringe upon (Philippine) sovereignty and jurisdiction.”
He stressed, “There is no other choice. We must defend the territorial waters of the Republic. It is a primitive obligation of a leader,” and “The territorial integrity of the Philippines cannot be threatened, and if it is threatened, it must be defended from that threat.”
He did not directly mention China in his speech that day.
His remarks come amid heightened tensions between the Philippines and China over the sovereignty of the South China Sea.
China has claimed that its territorial waters are about 90% of the area within a U-shaped nine-dash line in the South China Sea.
Based on this claim, China forcibly occupied Scarborough Shoal (Chinese name Huangyan Island) in 2012, and the Philippines filed a lawsuit with the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA).
The PCA ruled in 2016 that China’s claim to sovereignty had no basis under international law.
However, China has maintained the same position, causing conflict with neighboring countries such as the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, and Vietnam.
Before the president’s remarks, Philippine Foreign Minister Enrique Manalo urged the surrounding countries, excluding China, to unite more strongly to maintain the rule of law in the South China Sea at another auxiliary event of the ASEAN-Australia special summit.
Minister Manalo appealed for ASEAN and others to strengthen cooperation against the threat of using force.
He also did not mention China in his remarks.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong agreed with Minister Manalo’s remarks that ASEAN countries must adhere to already agreed rules and international law related to the South China Sea, prevent conflicts, and build strategic trust.
Wong added, “As the terrible conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine have shown, we know that major conflicts within a (specific) region can be very destructive to the community and economy.”
This is interpreted as a warning that the surrounding countries could suffer significant damage if the South China Sea sovereignty dispute is not resolved correctly.
Previously, Australia and the Philippines conducted their first joint maritime and aerial patrol training in the South China Sea in November last year.
This ASEAN-Australia special summit is being held under the theme of “Partnership for the Future” to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Australia becoming ASEAN’s first official dialogue partner in 1974.
On the 4th and 5th, before the conference, leaders and experts from Australia and ASEAN discussed maritime use, clean energy supply networks, and other issues through various meetings and events.
The situation in Myanmar, which is under military rule, is also expected to be discussed at this three-day conference.
ASEAN comprises 10 member countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Myanmar.
Myanmar is a member country, but political representatives of the military regime or military leaders have been banned from participating in ASEAN high-level meetings.
Myanmar sent a high-ranking diplomat to the ASEAN summit held in Laos last month for the first time in over two years but did not attend this Melbourne conference.
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