KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia—After speaking about the continuous aggressions in the South China Sea, endangering fishermen and Filipino personnel, and the establishment of China's national nature reserve in several summits in the 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit, President Marcos has finally brought his sentiments up in a summit between the regional bloc and China.

In his intervention at the ASEAN-China Summit on Tuesday, Oct. 28, Marcos said the ASEAN and China could consider cooperation that mitigates risks of incidents from happening, including a mechanism that would allow fishermen to fish in their traditional fishing grounds with no interference.

But the President made it clear that cooperation and coercion cannot co-exist.

“The Philippines stands ready to work with ASEAN and China to translate our commitments into meaningful outcomes through mutually beneficial cooperation. It must be clear, however, that this cooperation cannot exist alongside coercion," Marcos stressed.

Marcos made the statement as he was reaffirming that the Philippines stands firmly with ASEAN in working towards an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC).

"[O]ne that is consistent with international law, particularly the 1982 UNCLOS, does not diminish the rights and interest of third parties, and can effectively govern the behavior of Parties at sea," Marcos said.

"We could also consider cooperation that mitigates risks of incidents from occurring. This includes mechanisms that would enable artisanal fisherfolk to access their traditional fishing grounds without interference or arrangements that will limit activities in uninhabited features," Marcos stressed.

The President pointed out that if parties want the South China Sea to remain a sea of peace, self-restraint must always be observed on everyone's part.

Failure to refrain from doing dangerous actions, Marcos stressed, would only threaten the peace and stability that the region has built and guarded over the years.

"Of course, if we truly want a pathway for the South China Sea to remain a sea of peace, stability, and prosperity for all, we should not lose sight of the importance of self-restraint on everyone’s part," Marcos said.

"Otherwise, the failure to restrain provocative and dangerous actions further threatens the peace and stability that we have collectively built and cultivated over the years," Marcos stressed.

Similar to what he has been saying on several summits with ASEAN partners in the previous days, Marcos has once again lamented the harassment faced by Philippine vessels in the South China Sea.

He has also brought up the establishment of China's nature reserve in Bajo de Masinloc, saying the development has made the situation "even more complicated."

"It is regrettable that incidents in the South China Sea persist. Philippine vessels and aircraft continue to face dangerous actions and harassment," Marcos said.

"This is made even more complicated by unilateral declarations of marine protection zones, such as the 'nature reserve' in Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal, which is an integral and longstanding part of Philippine territory."

"Actions like these cannot hide under the veneer of marine environmental protection because it has no legal basis or effect, blatantly disregards international law, and infringes on the Philippines’ sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction," the President stressed.

Despite these, Marcos said, the Philippines will continue to engage constructively to manage differences and it remains committed to diplomacy and dialogue as the means to assert its rights and entitlements under international law.

He cited the Philippines’ Provisional Understanding with China through which 10 rotation and resupply (RORE) missions to BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal or Second Thomas Shoal have been completed without any untoward incident.

“Our Provisional Understanding is but one demonstration of how effective diplomacy and candid dialogue can ease tensions and produce positive outcomes that help manage the situation at sea, without prejudicing national positions. We should widen our diplomatic creativity for this purpose,” the Philippine leader said.

"We should widen our diplomatic creativity for this purpose," Marcos also said.

"There are positive outcomes to be gained if we commit to cooperation and meaningful engagement, especially in the South China Sea," he added.

The President underscored that by grounding the ASEAN-China partnership in mutual respect for sovereign equality and adherence to international law as guiding principles, ASEAN-China cooperation will continue to deliver tangible and meaningful benefits to their peoples while advancing shared vision of peace, stability, prosperity, and sustainability in the region.