Keynote Speech by
HON. Enrique A. Manalo
Secretary for Foreign Affairs
Dialogue on Maritime Governance in the South China Sea
Legaspi 2 Ballroom, Makati Diamond Residences
16 August 2023, 9:50am
Ambassador Ma. Teresita Daza, Director General of the Philippine Foreign Service Institute;
Ms. Daniela Braun, country director of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Philippines; Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen;
Good morning to you all.
Thank you for this privilege to address the opening of this Dialogue on Maritime Governance in the South China Sea.
This is a conversation that holds much meaning for the Philippines and fellow nations in the region especially in the current context, as we navigate a strategic landscape that demands the highest commitment to peace and dialogue as the pathway to resolving issues and differences.
The South China Sea is of profound importance not only to the future of the Indo- Pacific, but also of the world. It is the maritime heartland of Southeast Asia, a critical shipping hub, and a fount of precious marine biodiversity that has sustained generations of fisherfolks in the littoral states, and key to food and energy security in the region.
In it lies tremendous promise for anchoring the blue economies of the future that hark back to the maritime trade that connected our peoples, the intrepid seafaring communities of ancient kingdoms in the region.
We must allow the luminous histories of these waters as connectors of our communities to prevail, even in the face of disputes and serious incidents in the South China Sea, and over the prisms of competition with which the current situation is commonly seen.
We must let peace and dialogue prevail.
All of us must take it upon ourselves to exercise responsibility as stewards of this sea, and the life and positive connections that it sustains.
The use of force and threat of use of force, or acts of intimidation, by any party in the South China Sea, subvert the regime of collaboration and shared stewardship that is key to affirming this body of water as a sea of peace, stability and prosperity.
To the Philippines, the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea is the arbiter of good governance and order in the South China Sea, as to the international community that recognizes it as the world’s Constitution for the Oceans.
The Philippines has invested in UNCLOS since the very beginning, advocating with Indonesia and other states, for distinct rights for archipelagic nations. We take pride in our active involvement in the negotiations for the 1982 UNCLOS, the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the future Treaty on the High Seas, through which we have demonstrated our commitment to promoting fair, just, and inclusive governance of the maritime commons.
Peace is in our approach, as embodied in the 1982 Manila Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes, which reaffirms the principles set out in the United Nations Charter that all States shall settle their disputes by peaceful means.
Rule of law ensures equity in the global commons. Current complexions in the South China Sea underline its significance in governing this particular maritime domain.
Rule of law underwrites a multilateral order that must thrive - through shifting geopolitics, and amidst differences among nations. It has been a unifying force and a platform for inclusion and empowerment of nations and their citizens.
The 2016 Arbitral Award on the South China Sea and UNCLOS provide a solid foundation for the peaceful resolution of disputes and the flourishing of a regime in the South China Sea that guarantees peace and prosperity for our nations and our citizens.
A Code of Conduct which finds its moorings on UNCLOS, is part of the diplomatic solution for the management and resolution of disputes in the South China Sea. The Philippines advocates for an effective and substantive code of conduct that adheres to UNCLOS and takes into account the interests of all stakeholders, even extending beyond ASEAN and China. This approach is crucial if we are to maintain an open, inclusive and free Indo Pacific region and its momentum as the engine of global economic growth and transformation and in effect, the upliftment of the lives of millions of Asian citizens yet in the threshold of much improved well-being.
In this regard, the Philippines is hosting next week the 40th Meeting of the ASEAN- China Joint Working Group on the Implementation on the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is an understatement that how we govern the myriad of challenges in South China Sea and resolve the disputes will have a defining influence on the future of this region. Through this dialogue, you will all be addressing profound questions that bear on the day-to-day lives of citizens of coastal states, as well as the conundrums of diplomacy of our day and age, and answer to the demands of common aspirations for a peaceful and stable region.
The partnership between the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Philippines and the Philippine Foreign Service Institute has brought together a stellar list of experts, thinkers and practitioners, who I am sure will enrich ongoing thoughtful and incisive conversations, in the region and outside, and in this country, on this important topic.
I wish to thank the FSI, the KAS, and all distinguished participants for your commitment to this dialogue, and for all your efforts to illuminate pathways for peace, mutual respect and understanding, and collaboration in the South China Sea.
I wish you all a very successful dialogue. Thank you.