The Manila Times

Track 2 diplomacy in aid of official dialogue on South China Sea

- August13,2016entitl­ed“Choices previouson­eentitled“Philippine­s

Fcover our Kalayaan Islands unless

with respect to Scarboroug­h Shoal, where we have no forces stationed, is different because there is speculatio­n does not have treaty obligation­s with

stated that its defense relations with go to war with China if China had crossed the red line, considerin­g the relationsh­ip by crossing this red line, if it exists?

President Duterte has also announced a policy of widening its circle of close friends to include China and effect of lessening the tensions in the South China Sea.

With its One Belt One Road initiative, China appears to be at a crossroads of deciding whether to to attain its strategic objectives by and be law-abiding.

Before the visit of President Duterte to China in October 2016, the Phil of the National People’s Congress, and Dr. Wu Shichun, president of China’s National Institute of South touching on contentiou­s issues but explored the prospects for fishing cooperatio­n, ecological preservati­on, and transnatio­nal operations against illegal drugs.

China of the Philippine Council on the Chinese People’s Institute of For policy and strategic views with the China Institute of Internatio­nal Stud exchanges; the conversion of Scar China Sea.

China should feel insecure when it is now a Great Power. On the other hand, he invited attention to the insecurity of China’s neighbors with respect to China’s policies in the South China Sea.

I addressed the issue of China’s being offended by the Philippine­s’ - tration under UNCLOS, saying there that the Philippine Presidents have for Filipinos to proceed in accordance with internatio­nal law and arbitra Philippine­s to defend its national interests. I noted that the Philippine­s had previously sought to bring the Sabah issue against Malaysia before that there was no issue of sovereignt­y raised before the UNCLOS arbitratio­n tribunal and that, on the other hand, China and the United States are the -

China to respect the traditiona­l to end its occupation of Mischief issue concerns the Philippine­s’ right to exploit the resources of the Reed - ing and exercising our rights, would have to act in accordance with the Philippine­s should also not raise China as the win- win solution.

that one of the Philippine­s’ priorities, as chair of the Associatio­n of South of Conduct for the South China Sea. Baja, the Declaratio­n of Conduct is of Conduct negotiated by ASEAN refused to consider the proposed en Code of Conduct was downgraded to the political declaratio­n signed by

in the South China Sea is not a new one, having been considered at a - be seriously considered by China and initially by the ASEAN littoral coun -

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