22-12-2023 (MANILA) The Philippines and China have reaffirmed their commitment to open dialogues aimed at easing tensions, particularly concerning territorial disputes in the South China Sea, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). The announcement came on Thursday following a phone conversation between Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, where both officials presented the stances of their respective governments on key issues.
The DFA reported that the exchange was “frank and candid,” resulting in a clearer understanding of each side’s positions. Manalo emphasized the importance of dialogue in addressing the challenges between the two nations.
The Chinese Embassy in Manila provided additional insights into the conversation, highlighting Wang’s warnings against involving third-party countries in the South China Sea conflict. Wang cautioned that if the Philippines continued such actions or collaborated with external forces to escalate tensions, China would defend itself resolutely and within the bounds of the law.
Stressing the critical juncture in the bilateral relationship, Wang urged the Philippines to act with caution. He reiterated China’s accusation that Manila is a source of maritime conflict by undermining China’s “legitimate and lawful rights” through its expansive 10-dash line claim, covering a significant portion of the South China Sea.
The 2016 arbitral award rejected China’s sweeping claim, declaring it to have “no legal basis in international law.” The same award upheld the Philippines’ 370-kilometer exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the West Philippine Sea and garnered support from major countries, including the United States, Japan, Australia, the United Kingdom, the European Union, South Korea, India, and Canada.
Despite international backing, China refuses to recognize the arbitral decision and condemns countries supporting it. Wang urged the Philippines to return to the “right path” by managing the maritime situation based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos).
Retired Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, involved in the country’s case for the 2016 award, emphasized that the right path means adhering to Unclos, which designates the South China Sea as high seas, belonging to all mankind without being part of any single country’s territory.
Responding to China’s warning against the Philippines’ security alliance with the United States, Carpio highlighted the UN Charter’s provision for collective mutual defense between states against armed aggression.
Amidst the tensions, the Philippines, under President Marcos, has strengthened ties with the United States, expanding US access to military bases. Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro rebuked China’s maritime claim, stating that “no country in the world” supports it. The Philippines and Japan held talks on Thursday, emphasizing alliance-building to counter aggression, particularly in the South China Sea, according to a statement from the Philippine military.
