The way the Philippine government maintains diplomacy in the context of the South China Sea will in the future set standards of how to handle disputes.
"It is an understatement that how we govern the myriad of challenges in South China Sea and resolve the disputes will have a defining influence on the future of this region," Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said Wednesday at the Dialogue on Maritime Governance in the South China Sea.
Manalo's observation came as he cited the many times the Philippines abided by international law and dialogue as it is committed to diplomacy.
Among those he cited were the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Arbitral Ruling, the negotiations for a Code of Conduct and the Manila Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes.
"The Philippines has invested in UNCLOS since the very beginning... We take pride in our active involvement in the negotiations for the 1982 UNCLOS, the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the future Treaty on the High Seas, through which we have demonstrated our commitment to promoting fair, just, and inclusive governance of the maritime commons," he said.
"Peace is in our approach... Rule of law ensures equity in the global commons. Current complexi(ties) in the South China Sea underline its significance in governing this particular maritime domain," he added.
Manalo said peace and dialogue should prevail and concerned nations should become the "stewards" of the South China Sea.
Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Philippines and the Foreign Service Institute Philippines co-organized Wednesday's dialogue, where Manalo delivered his remark.
The dialogue covered a diverse range of subjects, including the impact of recent developments, the maritime policies of ASEAN member states, role of legislators in promoting rules-based governance, and potential areas of cooperation.
Manalo said such a forum would allow its audience to address "profound questions that bear on the day-to-day lives of citizens of coastal states, as well as the conundrums of diplomacy of our day and age, and answer to the demands of common aspirations for a peaceful and stable region."