A Chinese military expert, Lieutenant General He Lei, questioned Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s stance on the South China Sea issue during his speech at the 21st Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Friday.
At a press briefing, He Lei criticized the Philippine side for breaking rules, provoking confrontations, forming \"small cliques,\" and relying on external countries concerning the South China Sea matter. He questioned Marcos's claims that the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries aim for \"peace, stability and prosperity\" in the South China Sea, asserting that these goals are being undermined by \"other actors,\" without explicitly naming China.
He Lei challenged the Philippines' accusations of violating the rules-based international order in the South China Sea, citing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, which emphasizes bilateral negotiations to resolve disputes. He argued that taking disputes to an international arbitral tribunal breaches these guidelines and China's rights under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
He also pointed out that the situation in the South China Sea remained relatively stable during former President Rodrigo Duterte's tenure but has seen increased disputes since Marcos assumed office in June 2022. He attributed the rising tensions to the Philippines and the involvement of the United States.
Furthermore, He Lei questioned the necessity of the United States' presence for regional peace, emphasizing that resolving disputes and maintaining peace should rely on regional countries and ASEAN rather than external nations.
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Chinese expert questions Marcos speech on South China Sea issue
cgtn.com
