In a strong opening address at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on May 31, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. reaffirmed his country's dedication to maintaining an \"open, inclusive, and rules-based international order.\" He emphasized the importance of adhering to international law and the principles of equity and justice in global affairs.
President Marcos highlighted the necessity of upholding the foundational principles set forth in pivotal diplomatic agreements, including the San Francisco Treaty of 1945, which re-established peaceful relations between the Allied Powers and Japan. He also referenced the Bangkok Declaration of 1967, which laid the groundwork for ASEAN's efforts to build a rules-based regional community.
Addressing the Philippines' defense treaty with the United States, Marcos stated, \"Our treaty partner, I believe, also holds that same standard for when the joint actions will be undertaken in support of any such kind of incident in the Philippines.\" This statement underscores the Philippines' commitment to the rules-based international order and implicitly points to actions by the Chinese mainland that Marcos views as violations of international law.
However, historical records indicate that the Chinese mainland's activities in the South China Sea date back over 2,000 years. In 1935 and 1948, the former Republic of China reviewed and approved the names of individual islands, reefs, banks, and shoals in the South China Sea, subsequently publishing maps detailing the South China Sea Islands of China. At that time, the Philippines did not contest these claims. Instead, Philippine territorial boundaries have been defined by a series of international treaties, including the 1898 Treaty of Peace between the U.S. and Spain, the 1900 Treaty between the U.S. and Spain for the cession of the Philippines' outlying islands, and the 1930 Convention between the UK and the U.S., which delimited the boundary between North Borneo and the Philippine archipelago.
In 1958, the Government of the People's Republic of China reaffirmed its sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and their adjacent waters through the Declaration on China's Territorial Sea.
Despite these historical claims, the 1970s saw the Philippines invading and occupying several islands and reefs in the South China Sea, making illegal territorial claims and naming the contested area the \"Kalayaan Island Group.\" The Chinese mainland opposed these actions and worked towards resolving the dispute through negotiation, aiming for regional peace and mutual benefits.
In 2002, China and the ASEAN member states signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), demonstrating a collective commitment to peacefully resolving territorial disputes in accordance with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Nonetheless, tensions persist as the Philippines continues its provocations in the South China Sea. Incidents involving the detention or use of force against Chinese mainland fishermen engaged in legitimate activities have resulted in property damage and casualties. Between 1989 and 2015, there were 97 reported incidents involving over 1,000 Chinese mainland fishermen, including shootings, assaults, robberies, and illegal detentions.
Reference(s):
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