Hontiveros urges ASEAN to unite, take coordinated position vs. Chinese incursions

Senator Risa Hontiveros has called on the Department of Foreign Affairs to push ASEAN member states to establish a coordinated position against China's incursions in disputed waters in the region. The senator's statement comes amid the ongoing ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting from Aug. 2 to Aug 6, 2021.

"ASEAN should stand as one. When it comes to China's belligerent actions in the West Philippine Sea, ASEAN's principle of non-interference does not apply. Should China impede freedom of navigation in the entire South China Sea, it is not only the Philippines that will be gravely affected, but also the whole region. If the Philippines loses this diplomatic battle against China, the ASEAN loses, too," Hontiveros said.

Since 2016, the DFA has filed over 100 diplomatic protests against China's various activities in the West Philippine Sea.

Other members of the ASEAN are also strongly pushing back. This year, Malaysia lodged a diplomatic protest after "suspicious" Chinese aircraft were spotted over the South China Sea, off of Borneo. In 2020, Vietnam was also reported to be exploring raising an international arbitration case against China.

"The ASEAN must actively exhaust all legal and diplomatic means to resist China's excessive claims. Being passive does not help our case, especially in the face of an aggressor. China deliberately targets weaker states unable to effectively resist, thus the need for unified and concerted action. Our region is home to some of the best and brightest minds in international law and diplomacy, so let's pool these talents together and put China in her place," Hontiveros said.

Besides national security threats in the ASEAN, Hontiveros also said that China's presence in the WPS contributes to environmental degradation of marine life in the disputed waters. According to reports, the Philippines has lost over P800 Billion worth of marine life and resources due to China's presence.

Hontiveros added that Chinese fishermen have been caught illegally harvesting giant clams in the WPS, which could be happening in other Southeast Asian countries as well. As the ASEAN is a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, the senator said this may be another common ground that the organization can work on to push back against China.

"Southeast Asian nations should already start our accounting of the environmental damage wrought by China in our territories. These are tangible costs that China owes our region. These are costs that we should collectively demand China pay. The ASEAN may be composed of arguably smaller countries but, together, our fighting spirit is bigger than any bully can handle," Hontiveros concluded.

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Hontiveros: ASEAN dapat magkaisa sa position laban sa panghihimasok ng Tsina

Nanawagan si Senador Risa Hontiveros sa Department of Foreign Affairs na himukin ang ASEAN member states na magkaisa sa posisyon laban sa panghihimasok ng Tsina sa mga pinagtatalunang teritoryo.

Ipinahayag ito ng senadora kasabay ng ASEAN Foreign Ministers meeting na isinasagawa mula Agosto 2 hanggang Agosto 6, 2021.

"ASEAN should stand as one. Pagdating sa mga kilos ng Tsina sa West Philippine Sea, ang prinsipyo ng non-interference ng ASEAN ay hindi nararapat. Kung hadlangan ng Tsina ang kalayaan sa pag-navigate sa buong South China Sea, hindi lamang ang Pilipinas ang lubhang maaapektuhan, kundi pati na rin ang buong rehiyon. Kung natalo ng Pilipinas ang diplomatikong labanan na ito laban sa China, talo din ang ASEAN," sabi ni Hontiveros.

Mula noong 2016, nakapaghain na ang DFA ng higit 100 diplomatic protests laban sa iba't ibang aktibidad ng China sa West Philippine Sea.

Ang iba pang mga miyembro ng ASEAN ay kumikilos na rin. Ngayong taon, nagsumite ang Malaysia ng isang diplomatic protest matapos mamataan ang "kahina-hinalang" sasakyang panghimpapawid ng mga Tsino sa ibabaw ng South China Sea, sa labas ng Borneo. Noong 2020, iniulat na pinag-aaralan din ng Vietnam na maghain ng isang international arbitration case laban sa Tsina.

"Dapat silipin ng ASEAN ang lahat ng ligal at diplomatikong pamamaraan upang labanan ang labis na pag-angkin ng China sa mga karagatan. Ang pagiging passive ay hindi makakatulong sa ating kaso, lalo na sa harap ng isang bully. China deliberately targets weaker states unable to effectively resist, thus the need for unified and concerted action. Ang ating rehiyon ay tahanan ng ilan sa pinakamagaling sa larangan ng international law at diplomasya, kaya't pagsama-samahin natin ang mga talento na ito para mailagay ang China sa kanyang lugar," sinabi ni Hontiveros.

Bukod sa mga banta ng pambansang seguridad sa ASEAN, sinabi din ni Hontiveros na ang presensiya ng Tsina sa WPS ay nakadadagdag sa pagkasira ng likas na yaman sa mga pinag-aagawang teritoryo. Ayon sa mga ulat, nawala sa Pilipinas ang higit sa P800 bilyong halaga ng marine life at resources dahil sa Tsina.

Idinagdag ni Hontiveros na ang mga mangingisdang Tsino ay nahuli rin na iligal na kumukuha ng mga taklobo sa WPS, na maaaring mangyari rin sa ibang mga bansa sa Southeast Asia. Dahil ang ASEAN ay pumirma sa Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, sinabi ng senador na maaaring ito ay isa pang common ground na maaaring pagtulungan ng ASEAN upang labanan ang Tsina.

"Southeast Asian nations should already start our accounting of the environmental damage wrought by China in our territories. Utang ito ng Tsina sa ating rehiyon. Ito ang mga danyos na kailangan nating singilin sa Tsina. Ang ASEAN ay binubuo ng masasabing mas maliit na mga bansa ngunit kapag nagsama-sama, our fighting spirit is bigger than any bully can handle," pagtatapos ni Hontiveros.

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