DFA Renews Calls for Self-Restraint on China Sea Issue

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary Evan P. Garcia renewed the call for self-restraint at the recently concluded meetings of the ASEAN-China Senior Officials’ Consultations (ACSOC) and the ASEAN-China Senior Officials’ Meeting on the Implementation of the Declaration of the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) held in Pattaya City, Thailand early last week.

He said that parties to the DOC need to refrain from actions that will complicate or escalate the tension in the region.

He also said that the Philippine submission on March 30, 2014 of its memorial to the Arbitral Tribunal of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) manifested the Philippines’ commitment to a peaceful and durable means towards a lasting solution to the disputes in the South China Sea anchored on the rule of law.

The meeting noted the progress on the discussions on the implementation of the DOC and the consultations on a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC).

However, the Philippines and all of ASEAN countries emphasized the need to make faster progress on the full and effective implementation of the DOC and on the early conclusion of the COC.

The meeting had considered relevant international instruments, such as those aimed at building confidence, as well as avoiding and managing incidents at sea, as possible building blocks towards a COC.

At the ACSOC, Undersecretary Garcia elaborated on the various regional and international initiatives to enhance cooperation in the fields of food and energy security, climate change, and disaster risk reduction management.

Noting increasing interconnectedness of the countries in the region, Undersecretary Garcia called for them to step up cooperation to address maritime security challenges such as piracy, illegal fishing, and maritime terrorism.

He also highlighted the importance of establishing norms to guide maritime relations between peoples and countries and to continue to establish habits of dialogue and cooperation.

ASEAN and China discussed initiatives to further enhance their cooperation in the political, economic, and functional fields.

The meeting acknowledged that the growth and development of ASEAN-China strategic partnership has made positive contributions to the region.

Image Credit: expatphilippines.ph