Marcos urges claimant states to cooperate on South China Sea tensions

President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. emphasized the need for openness and cooperation among claimant states to manage tensions in the South China Sea during his speech at the 19th East Asia Summit on Friday.

Marcos acknowledged recent positive developments in the Philippines but noted that overall tensions remain high, citing ongoing harassment of Philippine vessels by Chinese maritime assets near Escoda Shoal in August.

He highlighted a more recent incident where People's Liberation Army Navy missile ships intimidated Philippine civilian fishing vessels and aircraft, demonstrating China’s disregard for international law and standards.

Marcos underscored the necessity for concerted efforts to manage disputes in the South China Sea and urged faster progress on the ASEAN-China Code of Conduct negotiations due to increasing risks of miscalculation and tension escalation.

China reaffirmed its commitment to advancing consultations for the COC and maintaining peace in the region despite ongoing tensions over territorial claims.