The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) affirmed on Tuesday its readiness to implement any agreements established in the proposed Code of Conduct (COC) for the South China Sea, known to Filipinos as the West Philippine Sea.
During a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, the Philippine Navy’s spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, addressed inquiries about the AFP’s role in enforcing the code.
The COC is presently under high-level discussions within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
“Whatever comes out of the Code of Conduct, the AFP is prepared to implement,” said Trinidad, underscoring the military’s readiness to adapt to the outcomes of regional diplomatic negotiations.
The COC aims to establish formal rules among claimant states in the South China Sea, including the Philippines and China, to avoid conflict and manage tensions in the disputed maritime territory.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday called on the ASEAN leaders to accelerate the adoption of a legally binding COC in the South China Sea, as tensions continue to rise in the region.
Speaking during the 46th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Marcos said the COC is essential to “safeguard maritime rights, promote stability, and prevent miscalculations at sea.”
“We underscore the urgent need to accelerate the adoption of a legally binding Code of Conduct in the South China Sea,” Marcos said in his intervention, reiterating the Philippines’ call for a rules-based order amid increasing geopolitical tensions.
The call comes as confrontations between China and Southeast Asian countries, particularly the Philippines and Vietnam, have intensified in disputed waters.
