MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines government must continue urging the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) to resolve regionally the problem of China with claimants in the South China Sea, Philippine officials said.In case incidents between the Philippines and China or any other claimant in the South China Sea occur, they must be reported to Asean, the UN, or the US, said Senator Gregorio Honasan.
The Philippines and China are still resolving a stand-off that began last week, near the Scarborough Shoal, 230 kilometres west of Subic Bay in central Luzon.- China, Vietnam, and Taiwan claim the whole of the South China Sea, while Brunei, Malaysia and the Philippines claim some parts of it, including areas of the Spratly Archipelago.
- The Philippines should be backed by its allies, said Ronaldo Llamas, political adviser of President Benigno Aquino.
- "We should have a diplomatic offensive. They [Asean members] have been meeting. When one of the members [like the Philippines] is threatened [by China in the South China Sea], they have not even issued a stand," lamented Senator Joker Arroyo.
- "We are also calling on Asean to actively monitor and intervene in the dispute based on the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea [which was signed by Asean in 2002]," said Congressman Teddy Casiño.
- But he suggested that Aquino should not ask assistance from the US.
- These sentiments already represented the Philippines' diplomatic offensive since Asean Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan did not put on the agenda the issue of the South China Sea at the leaders' summit in Cambodia in April.
- After the summit, Asean leaders did not make any comment on the regional problem.
- Asean is also divided on the issue of inviting China in Asean's drafting of the code of conduct (CoC) of contesting parties in the South China Sea.
- Pitsuwan announced at the time that China might take part in the drafting of the CoC. However, the Philippines Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said, "This should be done after the [Asean] approval of the CoC."
- To explain his country's position on the issue, President Aquino said: "It is important that we maintain Asean centrality." Vietnam supported the Philippines at the time. In January 2011, Asean and China agreed on a set of guidelines for the proposed CoC.
The CoC is a legally binding document to prevent incidents involving claimants in the South China Sea, so as not to involve other world power such as the United States.Elucidating on its importance Pitsuwan said, "We have the support of the international community to resolve this problem peacefully, effectively as soon as possible and we are working on it."
Peaceful resolution of the issue was also raised by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at the Asean Regional Forum in July 2010.
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