Marcos: US an ally, indispensable partner of ASEAN

JAKARTA, Indonesia — President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Wednesday called the United States an "indispensable partner" of the ASEAN, as he hoped that deeper ties with the superpower would help the Southeast Asian bloc’s pursuit of lasting peace.

"The US has always been an ally and an indispensable partner of ASEAN," Marcos said during his intervention at the 11th ASEAN-US Summit.

"As we forge closer and deeper relationships in the coming years, we hope to continue working together towards a region that enjoys lasting peace, security, stability, and resilience," he added.

For Marcos, the US is "more than just a longstanding, close, and reliable friend and ally of the Philippines," but is also ''undeniably ASEAN’s partner in achieving our collective goals and aspirations as nations, both on the domestic and international fronts."

The Philippines' top leader made the statement as he welcomed US support for ASEAN centrality and the principles of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP). Marcos said this envisions a free and open Indo-Pacific that is more connected, prosperous, secure, and resilient.

Marcos also commended the US leadership for their efforts to craft the joint statement dubbed ''The Spirit of Camp David.''

"The Statement cemented a common security agenda among the United States, Japan, and South Korea on arguably the most problematic issues in the region—issues that undermine regional peace and prosperity, including but not limited to supporting the free and open international order based on the rule of law," Marcos said.

The statement likewise opposes any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the waters of the Indo-Pacific and the militarization of reclaimed features in the South China Sea, as well as expresses concern for the continued illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing that affects our fisherfolk, the president added.

Marcos also mentioned the trilateral maritime exercise conducted among the Coast Guards of the Philippines, Japan, and the United States, which he said "is aimed at strengthening humanitarian assistance and disaster relief cooperation."

He called on the ASEAN member states to continue efforts at enhancing connectivity and supply chains with America to further expand mutual trade, saying "the US economic might in the region has been a positive force."

The president noted that last year, the US remained the biggest source of foreign direct investment, with a market share of 22.5%.

"We look forward to more investment inflows as well as a higher turnover of goods and services through the implementation of the ASEAN-US Trade and Investment Framework Arrangement and the Expanded Economic Engagement Work," he said.

Marcos' praises for the US came the same day he told China that the Philippines would continue to assert the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the rule of law in settling maritime disputes.

In a speech at the 43rd ASEAN Summit Retreat Session, Marcos called on ASEAN not to allow the international order to be challenged by any "hegemonic ambition" in the South China Sea (SCS).

Marcos made the appeal after he called out "misleading narratives that frame the disputes in the SCS solely [through] the lens of strategic competition between two powerful countries."

Although Marcos did not identify the countries he was referring to, it is known that the United States has been one of the Philippines' staunchest and most vocal allies in its territorial dispute with China involving the part of the South China Sea that Manila calls the West Philippine Sea. — VBL, GMA Integrated News