The Philippine government has welcomed China’s decision not to take military action to resolve the territorial dispute in the South China Sea, but still rejected its offer to resume bilateral talks.
Presidential Communications Operations Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. said the Philippine government prefers to pursue a legally-binding code of conduct (COC) between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China to ease the tension in the disputed territory instead of holding bilateral negotiations with just one nation.
Resolving the territorial conflict through this diplomatic track was mentioned anew by President Aquino during his recent visit to Japan, recalled Coloma.
“Of course, we don’t want to escalate the tension. On its proposal to resume bilateral talks and willingness to share the facilities it is building in the West Philippine Sea, the President has a different position on the need to respect the Declaration of Code of Conduct between China and ASEAN in 2002,” Coloma said in Filipino during a radio interview.
“A legally binding code of conduct must be fleshed out because the issue does not only involve two countries. There are other countries, usually more than two that have overlapping maritime entitlements in the West Philippine Sea. That’s our position. It’s not that simple,” he added.
Such code of conduct highlights the principle of ASEAN Centrality to foster peace and stability in the region, Coloma added.
MANILA BULLETIN
