Marcos says peaceful, stable South China Sea still a 'distant reality'

SINGAPORE - President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. on Friday said the vision of having a peaceful and stable South China Sea has remained to be a ''distant reality.''

In his keynote address during the 2024 IISS Shangri-La Dialogue, Marcos said illegal and coercive actions continue in the region, and these violate the Philippines sovereign rights.

''We cannot afford any other future for the South China Sea other than the one envisioned by ASEAN: That of a sea of peace, stability, and prosperity,'' Marcos said. 

''Unfortunately, this vision remains for now a distant reality. Illegal, coercive, aggressive,
and deceptive actions continue to violate our sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction,'' he added. 

Still, Marcos vowed that his administration would never allow the detachment of its territorial waters from the country's entire maritime domain. 

''The life-giving waters of the West Philippine Sea flow in the blood of every Filipino. We will never allow anyone to detach it from the totality of the maritime domain that renders our nation whole,'' Marcos said. 

''As President, I have sworn to this solemn commitment from the very first day that I took office. I do not intend to yield. Filipinos do not yield,'' Marcos added. 

Marcos said his administration would protect its sovereign rights even “to the last square millimeter.”

He said the Philippines is not only unyielding when it comes to protecting
its patrimony, rights, and dignity; but it is also firm in its commitment to regional and global peace.

The Philippine president also maintained that any action in the South China Sea must conform to an international-based order. 

Marcos said the attempts to apply domestic laws beyond one’s territory and jurisdiction violate international law, raise tensions, and undermine regional peace and security. 

''Any effort to resolve maritime differences in the East China Sea and the South China Sea must be anchored on international law, particularly UNCLOS, we must accord due regard to the legitimate interest of all parties, and respect legally settled rights,” Marcos said. —LDF, GMA Integrated News