President Duterte’s statement to be delivered at the Asean Summit on Saturday is sure to disappoint a lot of people, although the tone is expected, based on his pivot to China. Probably opting for restraint and prudence, a copy of Duterte’s draft statement made no mention of the arbitral tribunal ruling on the South China Sea dispute between Manila and Beijing.
“We reaffirmed the importance of enhancing mutual trust and confidence; exercising self-restraint in the conduct of activities; avoiding actions that may further complicate the situation; and pursuing peaceful resolution of disputes, including through full respect for legal and diplomatic processes, without resorting to the threat or use of force, in accordance with the universally recognized principles of international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,” the draft statement read.
“We reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security and freedom of navigation in and overflight over the South China Sea,” it added.
The draft statement noted the importance of the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea in its entirety. It also announced Asean made significant progress in the completion of a framework that would serve as the backbone of the code of conduct in the contested waters.
In addition, the draft statement said Asean welcomed the cooperation and constructive dialogues on maritime issues of common interest and concern, including search and rescue, maritime capacity building, crimes at sea, marine scientific research, maritime
security and piracy.
It noted the urgency to continue the development of linkages in maritime security and cooperation under the domain of the Asean Maritime Forum, Expanded Asean Maritime Forum, Asean Regional Forum and the Asean Defense Ministers’ Meeting.
Conspicuously, the Philippines did not invoke the decision of the arbitral tribunal on the sea dispute that went to Manila’s way.
The United Nations court decided in favor of the Philippines last July. The arbitral tribunal said Manila has exclusive sovereign rights over the South China Sea, invalidating China’s controversial “nine-dashed line”.
For economist Emmanuel A. Leyco of the Asian Institute of Management, the Asean will go the right way if it chooses to resolve the sea row in a diplomatic manner.
“Let’s be realistic, going into conflict with China will not benefit the Asean states one way or the other. We should know well how that will end,” Leyco told the BusinessMirror. “If this would be Duterte’s chairmanship statement for the region, then this is the most realistic statement, so far, of an Asean leader,” he added.
He argued that the Asean is not yet politically united as a region, like the European Union, to assert with confidence its legal claims in the global arena.
“Let’s remember the Asean is just an economic consultative body, and the nature of its alliance is not expected to be assertive, if not aggressive,” Leyco said.
“We should further pursue diplomatic platforms to resolve the South China Sea dispute. Let’s be diplomatic rather than assertive, without having to surrender our right to free access to the navigation and exploration of the contested waters,” he added.