THE UNITED STATES stands alongside
the Philippines and other Southeast Asian partners to uphold a rules-based
order that ensures sovereign, sustainable, and productive access to the South
China Sea and its resources, American Ambassador to Manila, Sung Kim, said on
Thursday.
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| Ambassador Sung Kim |
Kim said the waters of the South
China Sea are home to an array of marine resources, ranging from vast oil and
gas reserves deep beneath the surface to the complex and beautiful ecosystems
capable of supporting international seafood markets and unraveling scientific
mysteries.
“This is the patrimony of Southeast
Asian nations, the lifeblood of their coastal communities, and the livelihood
of millions of their citizens,” he said.
Kim said at last month’s ASEAN
Summit, the leaders of member-nations have reaffirmed the importance of
maintaining the South China Sea “as a sea of peace, stability, and
prosperity.”
He said to strengthen the Washington’s
support for sovereignty and freedom of the seas, the United States announced an
important change in American policy regarding maritime claims in the South
China Sea.
Kim, quoting U.S. Secretary of State Michael
Pompeo, said the United States rejects any People’s Republic of China (PRC)
maritime claims within the Philippine’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) or
continental shelf, and claims in waters beyond 12 nautical miles from the
islands in the Spratlys.
Pompeo said Beijing’s harassment of
Philippine fisheries and offshore energy development within those areas is
unlawful, as are any unilateral PRC actions to exploit those resources.
Under the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal
Award, which is final and legally binding, the Philippines enjoys sovereign
rights and jurisdiction with respect to the natural resources in its EEZ.
Kim said as Philippines’ Secretary of
Foreign Affairs Teodoro Locsin remarked on the 4th anniversary of
the ruling, “The arbitral tribunal’s award of 12 July 2016 represents a
victory, not just for the Philippines, but for the entire community of
consistently law-abiding nations.”
He said marine conservation begins
with securing territorial integrity; when any nation uses coercion, subversion,
disinformation, and other underhanded tactics to further its position in the
South China Sea, it denies “our friends and partners the right to build a
sustainable future.”
Kim said ASEAN leaders expressed
concern over activities and serious incidents in the South China Sea which have
“eroded trust and confidence, increased tensions, and may undermine peace,
security and stability in the region.”
“The United States remains committed
to fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows, and will continue
to defend the right of freedom of navigation in international waters and airways,”
he said, adding, earlier this month, the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group
conducted dual-carrier operations with the Ronald Reagan and Theodore Roosevelt
aircraft carriers, demonstrating U.S. commitment to mutual defense agreements
and promoting peace and prosperity throughout the Indo-Pacific.
He said the U.S. supports Philippine
Coast Guard capacity to defend its waters by supplying expert training and new
equipment. Since the 1990s, Kim said the U.S. has supported Philippine marine
and biodiversity conservation efforts. “Our P1.3 billion five-year Fish
Right project works alongside Philippine partners to strengthen the sustainable
use of critical coastal and marine resources to benefit more than 2 million
people.”
“When the Covid-19 pandemic further
threatened marine livelihoods, Fish Right helped develop Fish Tiangge, an
online marketplace connecting buyers and 6,000 fisherfolk in three of the
Philippines’ most important areas for marine biodiversity,” Kim said.
He said even American companies are
also contributing, with Bloomberg Philanthropies’ global development alliance
promoting marine conservation and sustainable fishing in more than 150,000
hectares of biologically significant waters.
“The United States will continue to
support our Philippine friends, partners, and allies in conserving the rich
marine biodiversity that make this island nation so special,” he said, assuring
“our commitment to a free and open rules-based order that upholds the sovereign
rights of all states regardless of size, power, and military capabilities.”
(Mindanao Examiner)
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