THE Philippines wants to see an earlier conclusion of negotiations for a binding Code of Conduct (COC) which will regulate actions in the South China Sea, and which the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) is pushing with China.
“For us? What I want is next year [it] should be over, but let’s [wait]. We are not the only ones thinking about this, there are many countries involved here. The Philippines, Vietnam, all those claimants there will be involved in this also,” said Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana.
Lorenzana spoke at the weekend at the forum organized by think tank Stratbase in Makati City, sharing an insight into the current initiatives of the Department of National Defense and the country’s security challenges, both internal and external.
The defense chief said it would be in the best interest of the Asean, especially the claimant states including the Philippines, if the regional body could forge the COC with China earlier than the three-year period for which the agreement was projected to be hammered out.
“[It’s a] very good sign. If you can meet it earlier, the better,” he said.
The COC, the purpose of which was to manage the maritime and territorial disputes in the South China Sea, had been in discussions for more than 20 years after it was endorsed through a first statement by the Asean in 1996, which gave way instead to a Declaration of Conduct (DOC) in 2002.
During a meeting last month in Singapore, the Asean agreed to finally move for a three-year period in concluding the discussion on the DOC, with China’s assent. Lorenzana noted this was a positive development, but added that Beijing should keep its promise.
“I hope China makes, fulfills that promise because it is China [that is] actually trying to delay this for the past six years already,” Lorenzana said.
Among others, the agreement should prevent any miscalculation in the disputed territory that has been militarized by Beijing with its fortifications and deployment of missiles, radars and even state-of-the-art jamming equipment.
“It will be legally binding…the problem in the West Philippine Sea is the danger of miscalculations, misrepresentations. If we have this Code of Conduct, then we have assurance that we do something in accordance with the Code of Conduct and then there will be no misunderstanding and miscalculation,” Lorenzana said.
He said the agreement should be followed especially by “the troops on the ground, the navy ship and air force pilots” and “all those people there should understand that the conduct is being covered” by the Code of Conduct.