Postscript to ASEAN's Statement on the West Philippines Sea

The 43rd ASEAN Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia discussed the increasing tensions in the South China Sea, a major portion of which the Filipinos would rather call the West Philippine Sea. This strategic body of waters has become the center of major concern especially that China issued lately a new Ten Dash Line Map apparently designed to create a position of strength despite its defeat to the Philippines in the International Arbitration Tribunal.

The 10-member ASEAN discussed the problematic situation in the South China Sea and they have reached a consensus that the increasingly aggressive actions by China are not contributing to the association's efforts to promote peace and harmony in the region. The member states expressed concerns that China's reclamations may constitute violations of the UNCLOS or the United Nations Convention on The Law of the Sea. These and many aggressive actions are putting the safety of persons at risk, causing damage to the marine environment, are eroding trust and confidence and are increasing the tensions thereby undermining the peace, security and stability in the region.

The ASEAN 10 reiterated their common goal and joint aspiration for, as well as reaffirmed their relentless commitment to, enhancing trust and confidence and called upon all parties to exercise utmost restraint in the conduct of activities that could escalate the tension or complicate the problem in the South China Sea. The ASEAN member states also reaffirmed further their consistent adherence to the peaceful and legal means to address all issues, as well as the association's fidelity to the UNCLOS as members of the international community of nations. and as a regional community of peace-loving peoples. While couched in so many motherhood statements, as usual like any other diplomatic statements and international conventions.

The ASEAN also reaffirmed the common commitment of all its members to adhere to peaceful means of addressing issues, problems and conflicts and to stay along the generally-accepted principles of international law and to reject wars as instruments of national and foreign policies. The member states also emphasized their rejection of militarization and all other forms of aggressive and adversarial actions that undermine peace, security and stability in the region. The ASEAN recalled the specific statements contained in the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.

The ASEAN also reaffirmed the importance of maintaining and promoting peace, security and stability, safety and freedom of navigation in and overflight above the South China Sea and recognized the importance of keeping that marine territory as a sea of peace, stability and prosperity. The 10-member nations also underscored the importance of a full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea. It is also noted by this column that both the US and China sent their respective senior representatives to the 43rd ASEAN.  Summit. China sent its Premier Li Qiang and the US no less than the vice president, Kamala Harris.

We thus can say that the most important achievement of the president in the ASEAN 43rd Summit was to win the explicit declaration of the 10 member states in support of the Philippine position. We can also declare that the big winners in the last summit were the Philippines and the US and China was the big loser. Well, that is how the cookie crumbles and China cannot win them all. Xi Jinping has to reexamine its posture and listen to the united call of all ASEAN member states and peoples.