President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said the Philippines will strive to conclude a legally binding Code of Conduct for the South China Sea (SCS) when it chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) next year.
“We will certainly try because it (Code of Conduct) is very very important… And it’s very important to the Philippines because ang pinakamainit na lugar sa West Philippine Sea ay dito sa banda sa atin. Kaya mahalaga sa atin na magkaroon tayo ng Code of Conduct,” the President said in the latest episode of the BBM Podcast aired on Friday.
President Marcos also maintained that the Philippines is ready to defend its territorial integrity and sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea.
The Chief Executive said a legally binding Code of Conduct in the South China Sea would set the rules to prevent conflict and cease tension-causing activities such as vessel collisions and the building of artificial islands.
A legally binding Code of Conduct would make it “very, very clear what is expected of each signatory country. And that will make things a bit easier kasi hindi ka nag-aalangan na baka may mangyari. Hindi na puwedeng mangyari ‘yan dahil nagpirmahan na tayo, nag-agree na tayo na hindi natin gagawin ‘yan,” President Marcos said.
Meanwhile, the President stressed that his administration’s stance to defend the Philippines’ sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea, which is part of the South China Sea, has not changed since he assumed office.
“Continuing to defend strongly our territory is not mutually exclusive from (the foreign policy of) being ‘a friend to all and an enemy of none,” the Chief Executive said, reiterating his pronouncements in 2022 and during his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA).
“Wala naman talaga tayong kinakalaban. Lahat naman kinakaibigan natin. Pero ipagtatanggol natin ang soberanya ng Pilipinas. Ipagtatanggol natin ang teritoryo ng Pilipinas. You can do both. You don’t have to choose one or the other,” President Marcos stressed.
The President also underscored the importance of keeping diplomatic channels open amid incidents of harassment against Philippine vessels and personnel in the West Philippine Sea.
“We have to keep those lines of communication open. Hindi mo puwedeng isara na lang na ganoon. Pagka ginawa mo ‘yun, mas lalala ang sitwasyon,” said the President. | PND
