By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos | Philippine News Agency
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday stressed the importance of safe passage in the South China Sea (SCS), saying a free and open waterway benefits not just the Philippines but the whole world.
“It has to be recognized that the South China Sea handles 60 percent of the trade of the entire world. So, it’s not solely the interest of the Philippines, or of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), or of the Indo-Pacific region but the entire world,” Marcos said during a joint press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin, Germany.
“That is why it’s in all our interest to keep it as a safe passage for all international commerce that goes on in the South China Sea,” he added.
Marcos made the statement as he noted that while there is no outright war in the SCS, there are worries among nations because of the increased tensions in the disputed waters.
He said “it is very difficult to see a way forward,” considering that China “has already intruded” on the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone despite the fact that the latter’s baselines have been “well-established for years now.”
The Philippine government did not reject any proposal that China has made to resolve the issues in the SCS, but questioned its premise that “their territory follows what is now described as 10-dash line,” Marcos said.
China’s 10-dash line claim, he said, is not recognized by any country, including the Philippines.
He emphasized that as Philippine president, he was left with no choice but to continue defending the country’s territory.
Citing Scholz’s upcoming visit to China, Marcos said he could only wish that it would help reduce the tension in the SCS.
Scholz backed Marcos and underscored the importance of upholding international law, particularly laws that govern international navigation, such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
“I believe it to be important to each and everyone adheres to the legislation in place. We’ve talked about this today, as I said, and I made it clear that we support Philippines in ensuring that the rights are being protected,” Scholz told Marcos.
During his meeting with the Filipino community in Berlin early Wednesday morning (Manila time), Marcos said Germany supports the Philippines’ quest to keep the SCS “open, secure, and peaceful.”
