South China Sea: Philippines asks Malaysia, Vietnam for ‘our own’ code of conduct amid slow progress with Beijing

Name: Beijing and Manila trade blame over ‘provocative’ moves with ship collisions near disputed shoal
Uploaded: 2023-11-20T04:04:54.000Z
Duration: 2 min 3 s
Description: Beijing and Manila trade blame over ‘provocative’ moves with ship collisions near disputed shoal

Citing slow progress on a pact with China, Ferdinand Marcos Jnr said Manila had approached its neighbours to discuss a separate code of conduct

He said the ‘more dire’ situation in the disputed waterway required the Philippines to partner with allies and neighbours to maintain peace

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Philippine coastguard personnel watch as a Chinese coastguard ship manoeuvres beside their vessel near a disputed South China Seal shoal earlier this month. Photo: AP

Reuters

Published: 12:04pm, 20 Nov 2023

The Philippines has approached neighbours such as Malaysia and Vietnam to discuss a separate code of conduct regarding the South China Sea, its president said on Monday, citing limited progress towards striking a broader regional pact with China.

Relations between Beijing and Manila have grown more tense under President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr, who has increasingly complained about China’s “aggressive” behaviour while rekindling strong ties with the Philippines’ sole treaty ally, the United States.

Speaking in Hawaii at a live-streamed event, Marcos Jnr said escalating tension in the South China Sea required the Philippines to partner with allies and neighbours to maintain peace in the busy waterway, with the situation now “more dire”.

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Beijing and Manila trade blame over ‘provocative’ moves with ship collisions near disputed shoal

“We are still waiting for the code of conduct between China and Asean and the progress has been rather slow unfortunately,” Marcos Jnr said, referring to efforts by the grouping of Southeast Asian nations.

“We have taken the initiative to approach those other countries around Asean with whom we have existing territorial conflicts, Vietnam being one of them, Malaysia being another and to make our own code of conduct.

“Hopefully this will grow further and extend to other Asean countries.”

The embassies of China, Malaysia and Vietnam in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment on a possible code.