More than half of ASEAN offered help to PH amid South China Sea row — Marcos

VIENTIANE, Lao PDR — President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Friday said that "more than half" of the ASEAN have offered help to the Philippines amid China's continued harassment in the South China Sea.

"At some point, there are many offers of help, they say if that is the problem, maybe we could do this, maybe our country send vessels, maybe we could have joint operations... all these offers which could not come if we did not make our position clear. I explain to them what the present situation is," Marcos said.

"There are offers of joint exercises, of continued discussions on how we can keep the South China Sea a peaceful, prosperous area of commerce, to maintain peace... maintain navigation so these are things that perhaps might not be expressed in open sessions but are expressed on the sidelines," he added.

The President refused to disclose these countries, however, saying the number was "more than half" of the regional bloc.

Marcos also said his discussions with member-states do not revolve solely on the South China Sea, but also about climate change, renewables, and gender equality.

As the Philippines continues to experience harassment by Chinese forces in the resource-rich region, Marcos asserted during this year's ASEAN Summit and Related Summits that China disregards international law and standards, with their hostilities being noticed by the international community.

An earlier NHK report said Marcos had urged leaders of the ASEAN "not to turn a blind eye to developments in the South China Sea."

Tension continues in the region amid Beijing's claims over 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 recent incident involving Chinese forces was when their vessels fired water cannons at two ships of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Scarborough Shoal.

China maintained that the actions of the Chinese Coast Guard in that incident were "in accordance with the law, and the on-site operation is professional, standardized, legitimate and legal" as the Philippines allegedly "insisted" on invading their waters without Chinese permission. — VDV, GMA Integrated News