MANILA – Philippine Defence Minister Gilberto Teodoro expressed doubts on Monday about China’s intentions in negotiating a regional code of conduct for the South China Sea, despite Manila’s willingness to continue discussions.
While President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved “good-faith discussions” with Beijing over the long-delayed maritime code, Teodoro questioned China’s sincerity in the negotiations. “Right now, honestly speaking, I do not see that,” he told reporters. The Chinese embassy in Manila has yet to respond to the remarks.
Teodoro’s comments come after Southeast Asian leaders called for swift agreement on a South China Sea code of conduct, grounded in international law, to reduce rising tensions in the vital waterway. The region sees $3 trillion worth of trade annually, and confrontations have escalated, particularly between China and the Philippines.
China asserts sovereignty over nearly the entire South China Sea, overlapping with claims from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Recent incidents involving Chinese vessels using water cannons, collisions, and ramming tactics to disrupt Philippine resupply and patrol missions have exacerbated tensions.
Efforts to establish a maritime code, intended to prevent such conflicts, have been in discussion for years, but progress has been slow under negotiations led by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).