The call of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) for all claimants to disputed territories on the West Philippine Sea to stop raising the tension over the issue is well-taken. Asean leaders know that it would be disastrous should a conflict break out and disturb the peace and stability in the region. They agreed to “strengthen cooperation” among member-nations and to do away with any aggressive actions to
assert their claim to the disputedislands.
China, for its part, should exercise self-restraint and refrain from using force in accordance with universally recognized declarations and international laws (like the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea), instead of being stubborn in laying claim to the islands which are not even within its territorial boundaries.
The Philippines has chosen precisely this approach, but China continues to violate Philippine coastal waters through unlawful incursions, restrictions, water cannon attacks and other forms of harassment. And this is why the Philippines has elevated the problem to the United Nations, which China ignores.
This Asean declaration should provide China greater reason to act with more self-restraint instead of pushing its claim to the entire South China Sea.
The call is more than a sound
advice. It is a call for brotherhood and unity in the troubled region. The Asean has acted as a neutralizer.
—ALFREDO U. SEBASTIAN,
alfredo.sebastian19@yahoo.com