By SAMMY JULIAN
Manila News Bureau Chief
MANILA — The Philippines will formally discuss with fellow Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) member states its three-point proposal that aims to address the escalating tensions in the South China Sea.
Dubbed the Triple Action Plan (TAP), the proposal will be presented during the Asean meetings this month in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.
It is a concrete framework first informally announced by the Philippines in late June as tensions in the waters off Vietnam heightened due to the emplacement of the Chinese Oil Rig HD981.
Specifically, TAP contains three approaches to address the provocative and destabilizing activities in the region without prejudice to existing territorial claims, DFA said in a statement.
As an immediate approach, TAP calls for a moratorium on specific activities that escalate tensions in the South China Sea.
“This approach brings to fore the need for a more concrete definition of paragraph 5 of the Asean-China Declaration of Conduct (DOC) on the South China Sea,” DFA said.
For the intermediate approach, TAP highlights the need and call for the full and effective implementation of DOC and the expeditious conclusion of the Code of Conduct.
As a final approach, TAP underscores the need for settlement mechanism to bring the disputes to a final and enduring resolution anchored on international law.
“The Philippines is pursuing such a resolution through arbitration and believes that the arbitration award will clarify the maritime entitlements for all parties, which will be the basis for the settlement of maritime disputes,” DFA noted.
Tensions in the South China Sea have “strained relations among countries, increased levels of mistrust, and heightened the dangers of unintended conflict in the region,” the Foreign Affairs department said.
“To immediately do what is right in accordance with law, the international community must take determined actions to reduce tensions as we urgently work to resolve the dispute in the South China Sea,” it stressed.
Four Asean member-countries — Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei — are embroiled in a territorial dispute with China over the South China Sea.
“The Philippines hopes that the claimant states, other Asean countries, and the Asean Dialogue Partners will favorably consider this proposal as it is comprehensive, constructive, and brings together various initiatives that the Philippines and other countries have been advocating on the issue of the South China Sea for the past years,” it said./PN
