MANILA – The Philippines’ arbitral victory in the South China Sea dispute should not be ignored or diminished by other countries, according to President Rodrigo Duterte.
In his speech during the virtual plenary session of the 37th Asean Summit on Thursday, Duterte reiterated that the legal victory of the country is now part of “international law.”
“The Philippine position is clear and firm. We must solve the disputes peacefully and in accordance with international law, including UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea),” Duterte said.
“The 2016 arbitral award on the South China Sea is an authoritative interpretation of the application of UNCLOS. It is now part of international law. And its significance cannot be diminished nor ignored by any country, however big and powerful,” he added.
The President also emphasized the need to fast-track a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea to promote peace and stability in the busy waterway.
“The Philippines is one with Asean in transforming the South China Sea into a sea of peace and prosperity for all. We are committed to the immediate conclusion of a substantive and effective Code of Conduct in the South China Sea. And if I may add, it has been a long time and it is a long wait,” Duterte said.
On July 12, 2016, the Philippines won the arbitration case it lodged against China after the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands invalidated Beijing’s nine-dash line claim over the contested waters. China refused to acknowledge it.
The South China Sea, where the Spratly Islands are located, is contested by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and China, which claims almost 80 percent of the waters./PN
