Speaker Romualdez: SCS code of conduct should respect sovereignty of all concerned states

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) - China Code of Conduct (COC) should respect the sovereignty of all concerned states, House Speaker Martin Romualdez said Wednesday as the country participated in the Manila Dialogue on the South China Sea. 

“As we work on the code of conduct, we emphasize the urgency of concluding a meaningful agreement that promotes peace respects all states interests and establishes mechanisms for fair, predictable cooperation,” Romualdez said during his speech on Wednesday.

“A strong unified ASEAN voice will be vital in maintaining stability and in a certain that cooperation, not coercion, defines our region,” he added.

According to its website, the Manila Dialogue on the South China Sea is an annual track process focusing on “promoting adherence to international law and identifying sound, pragmatic, and actionable policy prescriptions” for states surrounding the South China Sea, and other nearby countries.

Aside from the Philippines, participating countries include China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, the United States and the United Kingdom.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier urged ASEAN member states to fast-track the code of conduct to make meaningful progress as the “core elements of the COC, such as the milestone issues of geographic scope... and its legal nature to this day remain outstanding.”

However, Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning maintained that “the situation in the South China Sea is generally stable” through the joint efforts of China and ASEAN countries.

“Our stand is more than territory; it is about principles. It is about asserting that every nation, regardless of its size or power, deserves respect for its sovereignty. It is about proving that the rule of law is a force stronger than aggression,” Romualdez said. 

Tensions in the region continue as Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea despite the 2016 arbitral tribunal rule that invalidated Beijing’s claims over the West Philippine Sea, a region believed to be rich in untapped natural resources.

The Manila Dialogue on the South China Sea will run from Nov. 6 to 8.—Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA Integrated News