PH, Singapore reaffirm South China Sea peace, stability

The Philippines and Singapore reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace, stability, and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.

Both nations reiterated the ASEAN's consistent stance on the South China Sea, emphasizing peace, security, stability, safety, and freedom of navigation and overflight.

Leaders from both countries underscored the necessity of peaceful dispute resolution, aligning with international law, particularly the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

They also stressed the significance of fully implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and pursuing substantive negotiations for an effective Code of Conduct (COC) that upholds the rights and interests of all involved parties.

China has ignored a 2016 UN-backed arbitral award that voided its claim to more than 80% of the South China Sea, parts of which are claimed by the Philippines.