Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary Enrique Manalo said on Thursday that South China Sea will be one of the agenda to be discussed throughout the Philippines’ chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this year.
“The issue of the South China Sea, of course, is in the agenda of the ASEAN,” Manalo said in a Palace briefing.
“In fact, we will be undertaking ongoing work throughout the year focusing on the unfinished Code of Conduct of the South China Sea and the Declaration of the Code of Conduct and the principles of the Code of Conduct,” he added.
Manalo said one of the main goals, in cooperation with ASEAN countries and China, is to try and arrive at a framework for the Code of Conduct for the South China Sea by the end of the year.
“I think all of this work will be consistent with the environment that we are now facing on the South China Sea, on how we can address the disputes, not only the Philippines but our other members of ASEAN as well,” he said.
Manalo, however, said the Philippines will not touch arbitral ruling on the South China Sea or West Philippine Sea.
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