President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. said he is eyeing a separate bilateral code of conduct (COC) in South China Sea or West Philippine Sea with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
“What I was saying before about having an agreement, if we cannot finish the code of conduct with ASEAN and China, I said let us make it bilateral first with the members of ASEAN,” the President said partly in Filipino as he wrapped his two-day state visit in Vietnam.
Mr. Marcos stated that his two-day state visit in Vietnam signals the beginning of dialogue in crafting the COC between the two nations.
Asked when the COC with the socialist country would be crafted, the Chief Executive told reporters “we’re pretty much there.”
“That’s the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) we’re working on between our two coastguards and the plans to have joint cruises, joint exercises this year 2024,” Mr. Marcos said, referring to one of the MOUs he signed with Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong on Tuesday, Jan. 30.
The Philippines and Vietnam are both claimants in the tension-filled South China Sea and share the same sentiments against China’s unlawful claims in the region.
“Well, the agreement is between Vietnam and the Philippines. So, whatever other countries do, that’s not included,” Mr. Marcos said.
The President noted the Philippines has no confrontations with Vietnam, and that despite having issues in territorial waters, it never escalated into a serious maritime conflict.