Tensions between Beijing and Manila have been particularly fraught, with maritime confrontations occurring regularly.
“The South China Sea only becomes an area of focus when incidents on the ground heat up … and they have been heating up,” a Southeast Asian diplomat told AFP at the ASEAN summit, speaking on condition of anonymity.
ASEAN and China have been negotiating a code of conduct to regulate behaviour in the contested maritime area, aiming to secure an agreement by next year – more than two decades since the idea was first proposed.
Marcos told the Kuala Lumpur summit that “there are positive outcomes to be gained if we commit to cooperation and meaningful engagement, especially in the South China Sea”.
But Manila-based geopolitical analyst Don McLain Gill told AFP that while the Philippines is expected to stress maritime security, any pact China would agree to would likely lack teeth.
Diplomats and analysts say Manila will push to prevent further escalation and to promote cooperation with Beijing.
Areas of potential cooperation include ocean meteorology, which is crucial for maritime safety, as well as mechanisms to ensure access to fishing grounds.
Source: CNA
