Sea row among top agenda in Phl Asean summit

The South China Sea row, including the crafting of a framework for a code of conduct for claimants, would be among the priority topics in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit to be hosted by the Philippines this year, a foreign affairs official said yesterday.

“The issue of the South China Sea, of course, is in the agenda of the ASEAN. In fact, we will be undertaking ongoing work throughout the year focusing on the unfinished Code of Conduct of the South China Sea and the Declaration of the Code of Conduct and the principles of the Code of Conduct,” Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Enrique Manalo said in a press briefing in Malacañang.

“One of our main goals this year in cooperation with China, not only Philippines but ASEAN and China, is to try and arrive at a framework for the Code of Conduct for the South China Sea by the end of the year. That will be one of our main priorities,” he added.

Relations between the Philippines and China reached a low point during the previous Aquino administration, which emerged victorious in an arbitral case it filed in an international tribunal contesting Beijing’s massive nine-dash line claim in the South China Sea and the West Philippine Sea.

The Hague-based arbitral court voided China’s maritime claim and reaffirmed Manila’s maritime entitlements last July.

But China has refused to recognize the decision, calling it “a mere piece of paper” and “illegal since day one.”

President Duterte has vowed to seek closer ties with China and has expressed readiness to momentarily set aside the arbitral ruling.

Manalo said the arbitral court’s ruling need not be tackled during the ASEAN meet.

“Actually, there’s no need to really discuss The Hague ruling because it already exists. It’s already a part of the law, of the international law, so it’s there and the focus will be of course on – I think the priority now is to try and get a Code of Conduct,” he said.

“The Hague ruling will not be on the agenda in the sense that it’s already part of international law. So we really can’t discuss the ruling, it’s there.”

When asked how they could reconcile efforts to have a code of conduct with China’s installation of military structures on disputed islands, Manalo said: “Well, that’s the challenge we face in coming out with the framework. It’s not only the Philippines who faces this challenge but other claimant states in the region.”

Manalo noted that the whole purpose of the Code of Conduct is to manage disputes in a peaceful and non-confrontational way.

“This is the position that the Philippines and the other ASEAN countries will be taking when we discuss a possible framework for the Code of Conduct and the implementation of the principles on the Declaration of the Code of Conduct,” he said.

Manalo stressed the Philippines, as chairman of this year’s ASEAN, would be guided by its national interest while taking into account the concerns of other member countries.

“We will talk to China in a way where we will push forth our interests, just as we expect China will play theirs, put forth theirs and we will see how we can discuss that,” he said.

“But certainly, we need to have a discussion, at least an atmosphere which is conducive to productive discussion and that’s what we will aim for.”

In 2012, ASEAN foreign ministers ended their meeting in Cambodia without issuing a joint statement for the first time because of their failure to reach a consensus on the South China Sea row. Cambodia, the host of the ASEAN 2012 meet and a recipient of Chinese assistance, refused to include the maritime issue in the joint statement.

Launching in Davao

Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said ASEAN 2017 would be launched at the Davao SMX Convention Center on Jan. 15, with President Duterte, his Cabinet and members of the diplomatic community in attendance.

Andanar said the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) would conduct road shows and seminars throughout the country to educate the public about ASEAN.

“Our insight is that while 81 percent of ASEAN citizens have heard of the ASEAN, only 24 percent have a basic understanding of what it is and its purpose. This is alarming because every citizen benefits from this regional organization,” Andanar pointed out.

“It is the vision of PCOO that every Filipino will know how ASEAN has benefitted them. We created a campaign that speaks to everyone from all walks of life, from government workers, media, NGOs (nongovernment organizations), civil society, academe, business sector, the youth and even the grassroots communities,” he added.