Arbitral award on SCS backed
By Nidz Godino
“Maritime cooperation will remain at the heart of Philippine initiatives in the East Asia Summit”, Philippines has informed fellow member-states in Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) that there is “growing list” of countries supporting 2016 arbitral award in South China Sea (SCS).
On July 12, 2016, Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands ruled in favor of Philippines as it declared so-called China’s nine-dash line national boundary has no legal basis to claim historic rights to almost all resources in SCS.
Ambassadors from Japan, Australia and France to the Philippines in separate tweets on July 12 have voiced support for rules-based order in Indo-Pacific region.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Bilateral Relations and Asean Affairs Ma. Theresa Lazaro raised Philippine priorities, including assertion of arbitral award in SCS during 55th Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) and Related Meetings held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia from July 30 to August 5.
Lazaro reiterated arbitral award and 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea “are twin anchors of policy and actions of Philippines on West Philippine Sea.”
She said while Philippines remains committed to efforts within Asean to resolve SCS disputes, it is taking note of growing list of countries supporting the award.
Lazaro represented Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo during foreign minister-level meetings. He tested positive for Covid-19 days before start of AMM.
The meetings allowed Asean member-states to discuss issues of common concern with each other and with external partners, including, among others, situation in SCS, crisis in Myanmar, pandemic recovery, situation in Ukraine and cross-strait developments, as well as traditional and non-traditional security issues, such as climate change, terrorism and cybersecurity.
Apart from AMM, other foreign minister-level meetings included Post-Ministerial Conferences with Dialogue Partners, East Asia Summit (EAS) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, Asean Plus Three Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, 29th Asean Regional Forum (ARF), and Asean Foreign Ministers’ Interface Meeting with Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights.
Lazaro voiced hope that new EAS Plan of Action (2023-2027), which was adopted during EAS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, will continue momentum of identifying concrete ways to address pressing regional and global challenges, such as public health emergencies, climate change and emerging opportunities in digital technologies, among new generation of issues.
She also announced Philippine hosting of EAS Workshop on Maritime Cooperation in Manila in September.
As country coordinator for Asean-European Union Dialogue Relations, Lazaro co-chaired Post-Ministerial Conference with EU. The meeting adopted Plan of Action to Implement Asean-EU Strategic Partnership (2023-2027) and approved convening of Asean-EU Commemorative Summit on December 14 in Brussels to mark 45 years of Asean-EU Dialogue Relations.
She also delivered Asean’s Common Statement on Asean-EU Dialogue Relations, which highlighted cooperation in cybersecurity, maritime security, trade, connectivity, Covid-19 pandemic response and post-pandemic recovery, environmental protection, and addressing climate change.
During 29th ARF, Lazaro highlighted importance of the forum as platform for dynamic cooperation on global issues.
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