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In dealing with West PH Sea row, Duterte urges ‘self-restraint’ among parties

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<div class="media-content"><div class="slider-for"><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2019/tvpatrol/10/20/20191102-duterte2.jpg"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2019/reuters/11/02/20191101-asean-leaders-rtr.jpg"/></div></div><div class="media-content slider-desc"><div class="item-desc"><p>Presidential Communications Sec. Martin Andanar said President Duterte (pictured) will maintain his policy of being &quot;friends to all and enemies to none.&quot; <cite>Athit Perawongmetha, Reuters</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>ASEAN leaders, together with FIFA president Gianni Infantino, lock arms at a signing ceremony of the memorandum of understanding between the regional bloc and FIFA, in Bangkok, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019. <cite>Soe Zeya Tun, Reuters</cite></p></div></div></div><p>As Southeast Asia deals with the territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea, President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday urged regional stakeholders to “exercise self-restraint.”</p><p>“As ASEAN-China country coordinator, the Philippines will do its utmost part to conclude negotiations on a Code of Conduct as soon as possible,” he said during the ASEAN Summit plenary in Bangkok.<br/> <br/>“Notwithstanding the lack of enthusiasm by some external partners, I believe that we in ASEAN are one in the view that an effective and substantive COC will be good for the region.”</p><p>Duterte said his administration is keen to produce a binding code of conduct to keep the peace in the West Philippine Sea, which China claims is under its jurisdiction.</p><p>The President said the matter must follow international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).</p><p>He added that the 10-member regional bloc “must remain united.”</p><p>“We must lead the way in building trust and confidence among all stakeholders,” Duterte said.</p><p>“And we must use all the influence that we have, individually and collectively, to persuade parties to exercise self-restraint and avoid actions that may further complicate the situation.”</p><p>In August, Beijing told Duterte during his visit there that its position on the West Philippine Sea was not up for negotiation.</p><p>China claims most of the contested sea, including waters close to Philippine shores, and has rejected a UN-backed international tribunal ruling that said its assertion to the Sea is without legal basis.</p><p>In a meeting between Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the same visit, Xi reiterated his government&#x27;s position of not recognizing the tribunal ruling &quot;as well as not budging from its position&quot;, Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said then.</p><p>The two leaders agreed to work together to &quot;manage&quot; the issue and recognized &quot;the importance of self-restraint and respect for freedom of navigation in — and overflight above — the South China Sea.&quot;</p><p>In July, Vietnam called for the &quot;immediate withdrawal&quot; of a Chinese ship in the sea, as the standoff over the disputed waters intensified.</p><p>Prior to that, Beijing issued a new call for Hanoi to respect its claims to the resource-rich region, which have historically been contested by Vietnam as well as Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei.</p><p>Hanoi responded by saying it had sent several messages to Beijing insisting that a Chinese survey ship vacate its waters, and doubling down with new demands for the vessel&#x27;s removal.</p><p>&quot;Vietnam resolutely and persistently protects our sovereign rights . . . by peaceful means on the basis of international laws,&quot; foreign ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang said.</p><div><strong>— With a report from Reuters, Agence France-Presse</strong></div>

<p>Duterte said the issue must be solved peacefully in accordance with international law including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).</p>

Duterte said the issue must be solved peacefully in accordance with international law including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).