Albay 2nd District Representative Joey Sarte Salceda has urged President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., to secure the Philippines, and other partners in Southeast Asia, their common commitment to a framework of mutual assistance on resource extraction and freedom of navigation in the West Philippine Sea and the broader South China Sea ahead of his state visits to Indonesia and Singapore next week.
Salceda made the call following the latest developments being a “freedom of navigation mission” by two American warships in the Taiwan Strait, further heightening tensions between US and China.
“These two will be his first state visits. So, they will set the tone. In this age of rising tensions among the world’s top powers, common understand among middle powers like us, the Indonesians, and the Singaporeans would be reassuring,” Salceda said in a statement on Monday, August 29.
“There is a delicate balance in the South China Sea. ASEAN solidarity is what keeps China and any other interested power for that matter from undertaking any act of blatant and dramatic aggression in the disputed waters. If they do that, we will congeal into one coalition, and a call for outside help from us would be justified too easily,” the lawmaker pointed out.
That is why, Salceda said keeping this impression of solidarity, by echoing the ASEAN community’s common interest in freedom of navigation and shared benefits of the South China Sea, would help keep China “from doing anything rash or careless.”
“This is a geopolitical context that is very prone to miscalculation. The US is trying to regain its status as the world’s preeminent power. China and Russia, and other emerging powers are seeking to challenge that,” the House Ways and Means committee chairman explained.
“Reiterating that ASEAN will mind its own business, including ASEAN waters in the South China Sea, sends a signal that we are not interested in the games of Great Powers, but that we will help each other keep these seas open,” Salceda reiterated.
For one, Salceda said the Philippines’ declarations between Singapore and Indonesia could primarily stipulate a commitment to preserving peace and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, and that matters of dispute between Indonesia and the Philippines, and Singapore and the Philippines would be resolved diplomatically.
He also said, the Philippine government can also agree with Singapore and Indonesia that any military breaches of territorial integrity would be viewed as a threat to the security of all members of the region.
Likewise, Salceda said the Philippines, Singapore and Indonesia can assure that the US and China and other world powers, remain welcome to pursue mutually beneficial and equitable relationships between individual ASEAN states and the region as a whole and that the countries will move towards greater cooperation in maritime defense, especially in the interest of small fishermen and civilian transport.
“President Marcos has received very high marks from the international community about his sober positioning on our international policy. Indonesia and Singapore will be his first state visits. What he says and does with our old friends in the region will set the tone for his foreign policy for the rest of his term,” the lawmaker said.
“That will have implications on everything from foreign investment in the Philippines, to our national security,” he stressed.