China-ASEAN Multilateralism And The Peaceful Resolution Of Conflicts In South China Sea – Speech

Amidst the continuing security tension between the Philippines and China over recent incidents in the Scarborough and the Sabina Shoals, not to mention the prevailing uncertainties in the Second Thomas Shoal despite recent efforts for de-escalation, it is imperative to remind all parties that China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have already developed a variety of peaceful multilateral approaches to resolve persistent territorial disputes and maritime jurisdictional conflicts in the South China Sea.

Contrary to the Western view that deterrence against China is needed to change its current behavior in the South China Sea, China and ASEAN uphold the great importance of dialogues and consultations to peacefully manage the situation in the South China Sea.

On 6 September 2023, China and ASEAN signed the Joint Statement on Mutually Beneficial Cooperation on the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP). This Joint Statement recognizes that “as close neighbors, ASEAN-China relations have significantly grown and matured in tandem with both sides’ development since the establishment of ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations in 1991”.

Sadly, the Philippines, under the current administration of Ferdinand “Bong Bong” Marcos Jr who has been strongly influenced by the United States and its allies in Asia, is undermining the AOIP and China-ASEAN achievements in promoting multilateral cooperation in the South China Sea.

The Joint Statement also acknowledges “the interest of ASEAN to lead the shaping of its economic and security architecture and ensuring that the dynamics and economic growth of the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions will continue to bring peace, security, stability and prosperity for the peoples in the Southeast Asia as well as in the wider region”.

However, the Philippines under the leadership of Marcos Jr is running counter to the ASEAN Way by embracing the Western Way of militarily countering rather than peacefully engaging China to ensure peace and stability Indo-Pacific region. Despite that, China embraces the AOIP launched in 2019.

The AOIP has four key elements of multilateralism that can provide the four pillars for the peaceful resolution of conflicts in the South China Sea:

1. A perspective of viewing the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions, not as contiguous territorial spaces but as a closely integrated and interconnected region, with ASEAN playing a central and strategic role; 
2. An Indo-Pacific region of dialogue and cooperation instead of rivalry; 
3. An Indo-Pacific region of development and prosperity for all; 
4. The importance of the maritime domain and perspective in the evolving regional architecture. 

Interestingly，the AOIP complements the five key areas of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI): policy coordination, connectivity of infrastructure, unimpeded trade, financial integration and people-to-people ties. The AOIP and the BRI encourage China-ASEAN multilateral cooperation that can facilitate the peaceful resolution of conflicts in the South China Sea.

The previously mentioned Joint Statement reaffirms the ardent commitment of China and ASEAN to multilateralism in order to “maintain an open and inclusive regional cooperation framework, support ASEAN Centrality in the evolving regional architecture, and realize an international system, founded on the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and based on international law, and the principles of inclusivity, transparency, fairness and justice, openness, mutual benefit and mutual respect in jointly responding to regional and global challenges”, particularly in the South China Sea.

In conclusion, there is a need to congratulate China for celebrating this year the 70^th anniversary ofthe Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. This principle upholds mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, mutualnon-interferencein each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence among nations.

Peaceful coexistence through multilateral cooperation and not major power rivalry through militarization is imperative to peacefully settle territorial disputes and maritime jurisdictional conflicts in the South China Sea.

Thank you very much for your attention.

Remarks prepared for deliveruy at the Boao Forum for Asia Bangkok Roundtable held at the Shangri-la Bangkok on 26 August 2024.