Exclusive | Is Philippines offering Beijing an olive branch over South China Sea?
Manila will push for code of conduct to govern disputed waters at upcoming Asean summit, Philippines foreign minister says
The Philippines will seek to manage tensions over the disputed South China Sea at the upcoming Asean summit, after years of tough rhetoric with Beijing over the issue.
The nation’s acting Foreign Minister Enrique Manalo told the South China Morning Post that the maritime disputes would be raised during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Manila from Wednesday to Saturday, and in later meetings of the 10-member bloc, but that these discussions would not affect ties between China and the Philippines.
After suggesting that a moderate tone would be taken over the Sino-Philippine maritime disputes at the upcoming Asean summit, Manalo said Manila, as the rotating chair of the bloc, would focus on crafting a framework for a code of conduct to contain maritime tensions, which he expected to be completed next month.
“We will try stressing the importance of promoting or at least managing tensions and disputes peacefully and through diplomatic means,” he said.
“We acknowledge that differences exist, but that does not mean the whole relationship should be affected by that, because we also have good economic relationships and people to people exchanges,” Manalo said.