Japan and Southeast Asian leaders on Sunday, Dec. 17, agreed to boost dialogue and cooperation on maritime security and “ensure the resolution of disputes by peaceful means” amid China’s growing aggression in the disputed waters of the South China Sea.
ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit in Tokyo, Japan (Photo from the Presidential Communications Office)
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Japan are meeting for a commemorative summit in Tokyo from Dec. 15 to 18.
In its joint communique, which is adopted by the leaders on Sunday, the two sides agreed to “strengthen dialogue and cooperation for the maintenance of maritime security and safety, maritime order based on the rule of law, including freedom and safety of navigation and overflight and unimpeded commerce.”
They also agreed to “enhance maritime domain awareness as well as cooperation among coastguards and relevant law enforcement agencies, strengthen cooperation on maritime capacity building, and ensure the resolution of disputes by peaceful means, without resorting to threat or use of force.”
These, the joint statement said, are in accordance with universally recognized principles of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which sets out the legal framework for defining rights and obligations in seas and oceans.
“We reaffirm our commitment to uphold international law, including the UN Charter and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),” the Joint Vision Statement on ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation read.
The joint vision statement was issued amid growing regional and international concerns over tensions between the Philippines and China in several hotspot areas in the disputed waters, including the Ayungin Shoal and Scarborough Shoal, both within Manila’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
President Marcos' departure for the Tokyo summit came on the heels of two consecutive water cannon attacks conducted by China Coast Guard (CCG) on Philippine civilian vessels doing routine humanitarian and resupply missions in the West Philippine Sea.
Manila filed diplomatic protests against these actions and summoned Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian.
Part of the joint communique also showed ASEAN’s and Japan’s view “to promote a rules-based Indo-Pacific region that is free and open."
It also committed to embrace “key principles such as ASEAN's unity and centrality, inclusiveness, transparency, complements ASEAN community building process, guided by the shared fundamental principles as enshrined in the UN Charter and the TAC (Treaty of Amity and Cooperation), including respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, settlement of differences or disputes by peaceful means, and renunciation of the threat or use of force.”
Although China was not mentioned in the statement and there was also no reference to the latest incidents in the West Philippine Sea, the communique echoed the call of the United States, Japan, and the European Union (EU), among others, to follow a rules-based approach in resolving the disputes in the region.
Beijing lays claim on the entire South China Sea, including waters and features that stand several hundreds of nautical miles away from its territory. It has repeatedly used the historical nine-dash line as basis for the claim, but this was already scrapped by a 2016 arbitral ruling won by the Philippines and ignored by China.
Despite insisting that the territorial dispute is a regional issue, western nations have repeatedly called China to follow international laws, particularly the UNCLOS, as South China Sea is a vital sea lane that’s home to an estimated $3.37 trillion worth, or 21 percent of global trade.
Meanwhile, in his intervention, President Marcos called for a collective action amid what he called continued violations of international laws in the geopolitical environment, referring to the intercontinental ballistic missile tests of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, unilateral actions in the East and South China Seas, and the worsening violence in Myanmar.
He said that the missile tests of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the unilateral actions in the East and South China Seas continue to threaten peace and stability in the ASEAN region.
"We cannot overemphasize that trust is the basis of peace, a trust based on deeds and not merely words, especially on a geopolitical environment increasingly characterized by disruptions, by violation to the international rule of law, as we face common yet complex challenges together,” the Chief Executive stressed.
“We cannot also discuss peace and stability in our region without recognizing the need to address the worsening violence and the plight of the people of Myanmar through pro-active engagement of all the stakeholders involved,” he added.