More than half of ASEAN provided assistance to PH amid the South China Sea row – Marcos

VIENTIANE, Lao People’s Democratic Republic – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said Friday that “more than half” of ASEAN has offered assistance to the Philippines amid China’s continued bullying in the South China Sea.

“At some point there are a lot of offers for help, they say if that’s the problem, maybe we can do this, maybe our country can send ships, maybe we can have joint operations… all these offers that couldn’t come if we have not made our position clear, I explain to them what the current situation is,” Marcos said.

“There are offers for joint exercises, for continued discussions about how we can keep the South China Sea a peaceful, prosperous trading area, to maintain peace… maintain navigation, so these are things that might not be in open sessions expressed, but are expressed on the sidelines,” he added.

However, the president refused to make these countries public, saying the number was “more than half” of the regional bloc.

Marcos also said his discussions with member states are not only about the South China Sea, but also about climate change, renewable energy sources and gender equality.

While the Philippines continues to face harassment from Chinese forces in the resource-rich region, Marcos alleged during this year’s ASEAN and related summits that China is ignoring international law and norms, perpetuating their hostilities the international community are noticed.

An earlier NHK report said Marcos had urged ASEAN leaders “not to turn a blind eye to developments in the South China Sea.”

Tensions in the region continue to persist over Beijing’s claims to virtually the entire South China Sea, a channel for more than $3 trillion in annual ship trade, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei.

The recent incident involving Chinese forces occurred when their ships fired water cannons at two Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessels in Scarborough Shoal.

China claimed that the Chinese Coast Guard’s actions in that incident were “in accordance with the law, and the on-site operation is professional, standardized, legitimate and legal” as the Philippines reportedly “insisted” on entering its waters fall without Chinese permission. . — VDV, GMA Integrated News