(Eagle News) — The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has issued the Chairman’s statement which contained the overview of what had been discussed and finalized during the 30th ASEAN Summit in Manila which ended on April 29, Saturday.
This included the commitment to peacefully resolve disputes and respect for legal and diplomatic processes, even citing the respect for international laws such as the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) mentioned in the first few paragraphs of the statement. This was in apparent reference to the South China Sea dispute.
“We reaffirmed the shared commitment to maintaining and promoting peace, security and stability in the region, as well as to the peaceful resolution of disputes, including full respect for legal and diplomatic processes, without resorting to the threat or use of force, in accordance with the universally recognized principles of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),” the ASEAN Chairman’s statement said on paragraph 7.
The UNCLOS was the basis for the Philippines’ win in the Permanent Court of Arbitration that ruled in favor of the Philippines regarding maritime rights in shoals near the Philippines territorial jurisdiction, and dismissed China’s historical rights based on the nine-dash line.
But the tribunal did not adjudicate on sovereignty.
South China Sea as a “sea of peace, stability and sustainable development”
To this, the ASEAN Chairman’s statement filled in the gaps with the clear stress on maintaining the South China Sea as a “sea of peace, stability and sustainable development.”
According to the 25-page statement, the ASEAN, with the current theme, ” “Partnering for Change, Engaging the World,” “envisions an integrated, peaceful, stable and resilient ASEAN Community that actively takes a leading role as a regional and global player in advancing political-security cooperation, sustainable economic growth and sociocultural development in Southeast Asia and in the world.”
“We engaged in productive and fruitful deliberations reflective of our commitment to renew the aspirations and the enduring values of the ASEAN Founding Fathers,” it said.
ASEAN said this was in adherence to the purposes and principles enshrined in the Bangkok Declaration that launched ASEAN 50 years ago.
Six ASEAN thematic priorities underlined
There are six thematic priorities selected by the Philippines as ASEAN’s main deliverables for 2017, the 50th Anniversary of the establishment of ASEAN, namely: (a) A people-oriented and people-centered ASEAN; (b) Peace and stability in the region; (c) Maritime security and cooperation; (d) Inclusive, innovation-led growth; (e) ASEAN’s resiliency; and (f) ASEAN: a model of regionalism, a global player.
The ASEAN Chairman’s statement also reaffirmed the ASEAN’s commitment that the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development will be implemented in a mutually-reinforcing manner to build a truly inclusive and people-oriented, people-centered ASEAN Community for the benefit of our peoples.”
It mentioned the importance of enhancing cooperation and connectivity for development, and for helping each other combat poverty, terrorism, drugs, trafficking, among other things, and in helping each other in times of calamity,
Maintaining peace, stability and security in South China Sea, a priority
On the South China Sea issue, the statement “reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security and
freedom of navigation and over-flight in and above the South China Sea.”
“We welcomed the operationalization of the Guidelines for Hotline Communications among Senior Officials of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of ASEAN Member States and China in Response to Maritime Emergencies in the Implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and look forward to the early operationalization of the other early harvest measure which is the Joint Statement on the Application of the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES) in the South China Sea.”
The statement also “took note of concerns expressed by some Leaders over recent developments in the area” apparently referring to island-building in disputed shoals.
The Chairman’s statement said that it as important to “enhance mutual trust and confidence” in the region by “exercising self-restraint in the conduct of activities.”
Mutual trust and self-restraint
“We reaffirmed the importance of the need to enhance mutual trust and confidence, exercising self-restraint in the conduct of
activities, and avoiding actions that may further complicate the situation, and pursuing the peaceful resolution of disputes, without resorting to the threat or use of force,” it said.
“We underscored the importance of the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) in its entirety.”
The statement also took note of the “improving cooperation between ASEAN and China.”
Next focus: Code of Conduct on South China Sea
“We welcomed the progress to complete a framework of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) by middle of this year, in order to facilitate the early conclusion of an effective COC. We recognized the long-term benefits that would be gained from having the South China Sea as a sea of peace, stability and sustainable development,” the Chairman’s statement added.
President Rodrigo Duterte is set to visit China on May when talks are also set for the completion on the framework of the Code of Conduct on the South CHina Sea.
Viewers can read the full ASEAN Chairman’s statement below:
[flipbook pdf=”https://www.eaglenews.ph/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/ASEAN-50-Chairman-Statement.pdf”]
