PH Highlights Adherence to 1982 UNCLOS in Maritime Forum, Assures Commitment to COC Negotiations

Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Daniel R. Espiritu, ASEAN-PH Director-General, asserts the 2016 Arbitral Award during the 11th ASEAN Maritime Forum held virtually on 16 November 2021. (DFA-ASEAN photos)

MANILA, 18 November 2021 – Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Daniel R. Espiritu, ASEAN-Philippines Director-General, highlighted the country’s adherence to international law, particularly the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, in issues relating to the South China Sea during the 11th ASEAN Maritime Forum held virtually on 16 November 2021. 

Assistant Secretary Espiritu said the Philippines strongly upholds the 1982 UNCLOS as the legal framework under which all ocean activities are regulated. 

“The Philippines follows a rules-based approach in the South China Sea, including assertion of the 2016 Arbitration Award on the South China Sea, which is now part of international law,” he said. 

“As our President highlighted at the recent 24th ASEAN-China Summit, the 2016 Arbitral Award singles out no one and in fact justly favors and benefits the community of law-abiding nations by providing clarity to all, which is beyond compromise,” Assistant Secretary Espiritu stated. 

At the 9th Expanded AMF held on 17 November 2021, which includes ASEAN’s Dialogue Partners, Assistant Secretary Maria Angela A. Ponce of the DFA’s Maritime and Ocean Affairs Office, delivered a presentation during a session on “Maintaining peace and upholding a rules-based regional architecture that supports international law.”

Assistant Secretary Ponce said that as an ASEAN member, the Philippines’ position in maintaining peace and upholding a rules-based regional architecture, particularly on the South China Sea, is anchored on UNCLOS and the 2016 Arbitral Award. She added that the Philippines also welcomes the growing chorus of nations affirming the Award.

During the 11th AMF, Assistant Secretary Espiritu said the Philippines is also proud of the progress in the Code of Conduct negotiations under its coordinatorship of the ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations from 2019 to 2021. These include the provisional agreement on the Preamble section of the Single Draft COC Negotiating Text. 

He expressed the Philippines’ commitment to achieving the early conclusion of an effective and substantive COC that is in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 UNCLOS, now under the coordinatorship of Myanmar.  END