Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. yesterday joined other Philippine officials in calling on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to come up with a rules-based Code of Conduct for a peaceful settlement of territorial disputes in the South China Sea.
“The whole world is unable, unwilling, or afraid to help us, the United States included,” Belmonte lamented.
Belmonte made the appeal as China shrugged off calls made by foreign ministers of the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan, and the European Union High Representative for peaceful settlement of maritime disputes based on international law.
“China is obviously violating our territory in front of the whole world,” Belmonte said. “Their activities in the disputed territory will affect the flow of goods among countries, making the issue a serious global problem,” he said.
The intrusions should be a main issue to be tackled in the coming ASEAN leaders meeting, Speaker Belmonte said.
President Aquino and nine other ASEAN leaders are expected to meet next week in Malaysia for the ASEAN Summit. The President vowed to call on his fellow Southeast Asian leaders to resume the formal talks on the crafting of the Code of Conduct in the disputed area.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario had earlier said he was due to attend a meeting in Washington soon to tackle China’s massive reclamation activities in the South China Sea.
Manila Bulletin
