Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 17) — A “more assertive” China presents a “real challenge” to its Asian neighbors, which calls for the Philippines and the region to come up with “new solutions,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said.
According to the Presidential Communications Office, Marcos told Japanese media on Saturday that the tensions in the South China Sea \”have increased rather than diminished for the past months or the past years.\”
\”[T]hat’s why we have to—but we continue to counsel peace and continue communication between the different countries—everyone that is involved,” he added.
The president is in Tokyo for the Commemorative Summit for the 50th Association of Southeast Asian Nations-Japan Friendship and Cooperation.
Marcos also noted the complexity of the South China Sea issue, saying no country in the world wants to start a new conflict, especially in Asia, given the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, which he called a \”tragedy.\”
He further said the Philippines is open to finding \”new solutions\” to new problems.
“I cannot say that we have found the answer yet. We are still trying to formulate that answer as we speak. And things are moving very quickly in many parts of the China Sea and so there are changes in terms of approaches, [the aggravations],” he added.
In 2016, an arbitral tribunal constituted under the United Nations’ Convention of the Law of the Sea nullified Beijing’s sweeping claims over the South China Sea, which overlapped with the West Philippine Sea (WPS). Despite this, China still rejects the ruling and harasses Flipino vessels in Manila’s exclusive economic zone, drawing global condemnation.
Last week, a commissioned Philippine vessel on a resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal in WPS sustained \”serious engine damage\” after it was blasted with water cannon by the China Coast Guard (CCG). It was the latest in a string of tensions between Manila and Beijing, which the Armed Forces of the Philippines deemed \”short of armed attacks.\” https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2023/12/13/china-escalating-actions-wescom-chief.html
In at least three instances in August and November, CCG ships fired water cannons at Philippine Coast Guard vessels on their way to Ayungin Shoal. On Oct. 22, Beijing attempted to block another resupply trip, which resulted in a collision between a CCG vessel and a Filipino resupply boat. A Chinese military-grade laser was also pointed at a Philippine ship in February.
Meanwhile, Marcos lauded the increasing collaboration between the Philippines and Japan, calling it a \”very good example of evolution.\”
The Philippines is the first recipient of Japanese Official Security Assistance to boost bilateral defense.
