President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. called on members of the Indo-Pacific region to unite and make a bold stand against violations of international rules-based orders in the South China Sea (SCS).

In his speech during the 21st International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, President Marcos reminded Indo-Pacific members they are not just “bystanders to unfolding world events.”

“We should transcend geopolitics, find common ground, [and] work to strengthen global institutions. This requires active leadership on the part of middle powers, which have the capacity to cross political and ideological lines, forge genuine consensus, and lead credible efforts towards decisive multilateral solutions,” President Marcos before defense ministers, permanent heads of ministries, and military chiefs of mostly Asia-Pacific states.

“We need to begin by resoundingly rejecting misguided interpretations that paint our region as a mere theater of geopolitical rivalries. We are not mere bystanders to unfolding world events. We are the actors that drive those events. We are the main characters in our collective story. We are the owners of the narratives of our regional community,” he added.

“Thus, we reject any attempt to deny [our] strategic agencies, especially by force that seek to subordinate our interests anyone else’s,” he further stated.

President Marcos made history as the first Philippine leader who delivered a keynote address before the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue, the leading defense and security conference in the Asia-Pacific region.

The dialogue provides an open, inclusive and neutral platform for the exchange of perspectives and ideas on defense and security issues in the Indo-Pacific region. It is commonly attended by defense ministers, permanent heads of ministries, and military chiefs of mostly Asia-Pacific states.

Previous keynote speakers of the dialogue include Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio in 2022 and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in 2023. PND