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President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. brought the issue of the South China Sea before Viet Nam Tuesday, pointing out the country’s sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea under international laws.

During his meeting with Viet Nam Prime Minister Pham Minh Ching on Tuesday, Marcos said the Philippine government will continue defending WPS through dialogues and consultations with claimants, including China.

“We are firm in defending our sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction against any provocations. But at the same time, we are also seeking to address these issues with China through peaceful dialogue and consultations as two equal sovereign states,” Marcos said.

Marcos reiterated that the Philippine position in the WPS remains consistent, clear, and firmly anchored in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The chief executive recalled his state visit to China in 2023 where he reaffirmed with Chinese President Xi Jinping that maritime issues should not define the relations between the Philippines and China, and that the two countries should work to enhance comprehensive strategic cooperation.

However, China appears to continue its illegal activities in the WPS, Marcos said, citing the December 9 and 10 incidents last year where Chinese Coast Guard and Chinese militia used water cannons that led to the damage of Philippine vessels in the Bajo de Masinloc and Ayungin Shoal, respectively.

Marcos said Chinese President Xi Jinping, during their meeting on the sidelines of the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting in November last year, had agreed on the importance of de-escalating tensions in the WPS.

“We are committed to work in partnership with other like-minded states to ensure a rules-based international order in the Asia-Pacific region governed by international law.

Our support for ASEAN centrality and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific as the foremost regional framework and as the architecture for collective peace, stability and prosperity remains steadfast,” President Marcos said.

“As maritime nations, we share a similar assessment of the current state of our regional environment with other maritime nations of the Asia-Pacific. Our countries have crucial roles to play in shaping the regional security discourse and in upholding the rules-based international order,” he added.

He said that the Philippines considers both the United States and China as key actors in maintaining peace and security, economic growth and development in the ASEAN region as he emphasized that the US is the Philippines’ sole treaty ally.

“And as such, we continue to pursue military cooperation with the US to strengthen our defensive capability and our ability to respond to humanitarian crises and disasters, ” he emphasized.

The President also expressed concern over tensions across the Taiwan Strait as it may affect northern territories of the Philippines, compromising the safety and wellbeing of Filipinos in Taiwan. He also emphasized that the Philippines wishes for the return to peace and stability in Myanmar.

Marcos also expressed support for the Five-Point Consensus and the efforts of Lao PDR as the new Chair of ASEAN as he took note of Thailand's proposal during the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Retreat on providing humanitarian assistance to Myanmar.

The chief executive also expressed concern on the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza as he reiterated the country’s support in all of the efforts of the UN to deliver urgent aid to Palestinian civilians caught in the conflict.

“We are also concerned with the escalating violence in the region, especially in Lebanon and in the Red Sea/Yemen where at the moment we have 17 Filipino hostages who were taken to Yemen once they were serving on a ship that was traversing the Red Sea,” President Marcos said, adding that the Philippines is ready to work with other countries in resolving conflict in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolutions and general principles of international law.

“On candidatures, the Philippines wishes to thank Vietnam for its confirmed support for the Philippines’ bid to the United Nations Security Council as a non-permanent member for the term 2027 to 2028, with a confirmed arrangement of reciprocal support with Vietnam?for Vietnam’s UNSC for the term 2020 to 2021,” he added.

Before concluding his speech, President Marcos reiterated the Philippines will strongly consider Viet Nam’s upcoming candidatures for seats in international organizations. Presidential News Desk