ASIATODAY.ID, MANILA – The situation in the South China Sea is increasingly heating up and has the potential for open conflict.
This has become the concern of the foreign ministers of countries in the Southeast Asia region. They urged immediate peaceful dialogue between parties because the current situation could threaten regional peace.
“We are concerned about the latest developments in the South China Sea which could damage peace, security and stability in the region,” said a joint statement by ASEAN Foreign Ministers, Saturday, December 30 2023.
The statement came as China and the Philippines accused each other in recent months over a series of maritime conflicts in the South China Sea region. In fact, Manila cited the need to change its approach as diplomatic efforts with Beijing were heading in a bad direction.
China responded to the accusations as mere lies, and said it would not turn a blind eye to repeated provocations by the Philippines.
The ASEAN Foreign Ministers emphasized the need to refrain from carrying out activities that could complicate or escalate disputes.
“We reaffirm the importance of peaceful dialogue that makes a constructive contribution to increasing regional stability and cooperation in the maritime sector,” he explained.
ASEAN and China have been working to create a code of conduct in the South China Sea, a plan that has been in place since 2002. But progress has been slow despite commitments from all parties to advance and accelerate the process.
Discussions on the components of the code of conduct have not yet begun amid concerns over China’s willingness to commit to a set of rules that are binding and consistent with international law.
China claims most of the South China Sea through a nine-dash line that winds 1,500 km south of the mainland, cutting through the exclusive economic zones of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.
China on Friday, December 29 2023 appointed former navy chief Dong Jun as its new defense minister. He previously served as deputy commander at a command operating in the South China Sea. (AT Network)
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