Marcos backs West PH Sea code: Countries should manage disputes

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. supports concluding the West Philippine Sea (WPS) Code of Conduct because it helps countries with differing stakes in the region resolve their issues.

According to the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS), Marcos, at the 25th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean)- China Summit on Friday, called for COC conclusion — in time for the 40th year of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) and the 20th year of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC).

“It shall be an example of how states manage their differences: through reason and through right. I, therefore, welcome the progress on textual negotiations on the COC this past year and hopefully an approved code of conduct in the very near future,” Marcos said during the summit.

OPS said Marcos also addressed other problems like economic shock protection while the region recovers from the pandemic outbreak.

“Asean Centrality must remain the bedrock of cooperation, Marcos stressed, noting the ‘truest’ barometers of Asean’s success or failure are the people and the communities,” OPS said in a statement.

“Amid the backdrop of increasing geopolitical tensions, countries must firmly choose cooperation over competition at every turn, the chief executive said,” it added.

Earlier, OPS also confirmed that President Marcos had accepted the invitation of Chinese president Xi Jinping for a state visit to China on January 3, 5 and 6 next year.

“President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has accepted the invitation of President Xi Jinping and the People’s Republic of China to visit China on a State Visit on January 3 to 5/6,” OPS said.

“The Chinese government has since confirmed that schedule for the State Visit,” it added.

Possible talking points between the two leaders have not been released, but President Marcos said on Wednesday that he hopes to discuss issues hounding the West Philippine Sea with Xi.

Marcos is currently in Cambodia for the Association of Asean Nations (Asean) Summit, where the West Philippine Sea issue is among the topics that would be talked about.

READ: Bongbong Marcos hopes to discuss West Philippine Sea issues with Xi

READ: Bongbong Marcos wants PH-China ties to go beyond West PH Sea disputes

/abc