Marcos raises South China Sea issue in ASEAN Summit

VIENTIANE - President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. confirmed Wednesday that he had raised the issues on the South China Sea at the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits.

''Yes,'' Marcos told the Philippine media delegation when asked if he had tackled the South China Sea during the interventions at the Summit.

Asked if he discussed the developments in the region, Marcos said he did not specify it.

''I didn't specify the details, but that's the general principle of the adherence to the rule of law and the UNCLOS. That's just a general theme,'' Marcos said.

Marcos said the details could be tackled in the coming days.

Tension continues as Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual ship-borne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. The Philippines refers to portions of the South Chin Sea as the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

In 2016, an international arbitration tribunal in Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines over China's claims in the South China Sea, saying that it had "no legal basis."

China has not recognized the decision as it continues its atrocities in the region.

Marcos has since vowed that the government would never give an inch of the country’s territory.

--VAL/RSJ, GMA Integrated News