The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said that the outcome documents of the recently concluded 2023 Group of Seven (G7) and Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) summits in Japan showed strong support for President Marcos' call to countries to adhere to the international rules-based order and to maintain peace and stability in the region.

President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. (Malacañang photo)

The PCO said this following the culmination of the twin summits, which reportedly came up with "consequential decisions" encompassing matters related to the Philippines.

In a letter to Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil on May 20, Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko said the G7 leaders reaffirmed their determination to meet global challenges and further champion shared international principles and values.

To maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific region, the leaders underscored their commitment to strengthen coordination with regional partners, including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Particularly, Koshikawa said the G7 leaders stressed that there is no legal basis for China's expansive claims in the South China Sea and strongly opposed its militarization in the region.

"Underlining the universal character of the UNCLOS and its pivotal role in setting out the legal framework in all activities in the oceans and seas," he wrote.

"Significantly, the leaders reiterated the legally binding Arbitral Tribunal award rendered on 12 July 2016 as a significant milestone as a basis for peaceful (resolution) of disputes between the parties," he added.

Moreover, the G7 leaders affirmed the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and agreed to foster resilience to economic coercion.

Meanwhile, during the QUAD meeting, Japan's foreign ministry said Prime Minister Fumio Kishida expressed serious concerns about attempts to "unilaterally change the status quo by force or coercion in the Indo-Pacific, including the East and South China Seas." QUAD leaders shared the view that they strongly oppose such attempts.

Kishida said the QUAD leaders reaffirmed their vision of a peaceful, prosperous, and stable region where nations respect sovereignty and are free from intimidation and coercion.

With an eye to the future, the Japanese official said the QUAD leaders committed to adhering to four principles during the summit, namely:

• Investing in the future prosperity of the Indo-Pacific
• Maintaining and strengthening stability in the region under international law
• Working towards a more robust and enhanced multilateral system
  
  

Other principles are respect for the centrality, agency, and leadership of regional institutions while firmly working transparently alongside each other in open dialogue to deliver responsive and sustained economic and social value.

"By working together in creating a brighter future for all, the decisive actions in the summits concretize steps towards upholding an international order based on the rule of law and strengthening outreach to the Global South," Koshikawa said.

The G7 is an informal bloc of industrialized democracies—the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom (UK)—meeting annually to discuss global economic governance, international security, and energy policy.

On the other hand, the QUAD is a security dialogue between the US, Australia, India, and Japan. All democracies, vibrant economies, and member countries tackle security, economic, and health issues.