By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet

Cognizant of China’s continuing aggression in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. raised such developments in these contested waters before the United States and India during the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

At the 13th ASEAN-U.S. Summit on Monday, The President hailed both countries for their continuing support for the Philippines’ firm stance on the WPS, remaining unfazed by the East Asian nation’s provocative maneuvers and dangerous actions.

Marcos noted the seriousness of these incidents as detrimental to the safety and welfare of Philippine personnel, vessels, and aircraft, which has long been defending the country’s sovereignty and territorial rights under the guarantee of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award, and domestic law.

“These incidents notwithstanding, the Philippines will continue to remain firm, calm, and resolute in its commitment to the full implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and to achieving productive negotiations towards a Code of Conduct that is effective, substantive, and consistent with international law, particularly UNCLOS.”

“This commitment is shared throughout all levels of the government, which desires to conclude an effective and substantive Code of Conduct that can effectively govern the behavior of parties at sea,” the President added.

The Chief Executive, moreover, reaffirmed support for the co-chairing with the United States and the Republic of Korea (ROK) of the upcoming ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Workshop on Best Practices for Port State Measures to Combat Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing.

President Marcos likewise highlighted ongoing collaboration under the ASEAN Plus United States Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC + U.S.) Consultations, focusing on human trafficking, cybercrime, illicit drugs, terrorism, and wildlife and timber trafficking.

He concluded the ASEAN-U.S. summit by vowing to further initiatives centered on boosting transnational trade and fostering people-to-people exchanges that would benefit enterprises and common folk alike.

Talks with the world’s 5th largest economy

At the 22nd ASEAN-India Summit, Marcos noted the common interests of the Philippines and India in upholding the maritime rule of law, expressing gratitude for the South Asian nation’s cognizance of the Indo-Pacific region’s indispensable contribution to ASEAN’s growth, thus underscoring the need for peace and order in the WPS.

“Both ASEAN and India should see peaceful settlement of disputes and maritime cooperation as essential, as our seas contribute to the peace and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region,” the President stressed.

The Chief Executive made a state visit to India in August, where he underscored the need for closer collaboration between the South Asian economic powerhouse and the ASEAN, noting the potential for further growth and development in key areas such as trade, security, and technology.

President Marcos said that as ASEAN Chair next year, the Philippines looks forward to undertaking meaningful activities to celebrate the ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation in 2026, including the conduct of maritime exercises to promote freedom and safety of navigation in the Indo-Pacific region.

Marcos, meanwhile, reaffirmed the Philippines’ strong support for the ongoing review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA), saying the “timely and meaningful upgrade of AITIGA will not only expand market access and strengthen supply chains, but also enhance ASEAN-India economic relations and reinforce the credibility of our regional integration agenda.”

President Marcos also called for deepening ASEAN-India cooperation on technological innovations, citing financial technology (fintech) and sustainable energy among the areas of cooperation.

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