President Marcos to Asean: Rule of law must prevail

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos emphasized yesterday the importance of the rule of law and dialogue as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) celebrated its 59th anniversary.

Amid China’s aggressions in the West Philippine Sea, this year’s ASEAN chairman said vital spaces for dialogue, confidence-building and peaceful engagement have been provided through the mechanisms led by the 11-member regional bloc.

Members of the ASEAN advance cooperation and common purpose through consultation, mutual respect and adherence to international law, Marcos said.

“We celebrate a promise that has endured for nearly six decades: that in our shared region, dialogue must prevail over division, cooperation over conflict and solidarity over uncertainty,” Marcos said.

“ASEAN was built on a simple but powerful truth: Our peoples are safer, stronger and more prosperous when our nations face the future together,” he added.

The Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam are ASEAN claimants to portions of the South China Sea.

Claiming historic rights over virtually the entire area, China has branded a 2016 arbitral ruling as “illegal” and has resorted to aggressive acts to assert its voided maritime claim.

Marcos said conflicts beyond ASEAN shores, including the one in the Middle East, serve as a reminder that crises affect stability, economies and communities far beyond where they begin.

“Our region is confronting deeper forces of disruption, climate change, economic uncertainty, geopolitical tension and the rapid rise of artificial intelligence,” he noted.

Ending his message, Marcos said: “As we look ahead to the 49th ASEAN Summit and related summits and to the transition to Singapore as the next chair, we do so with full confidence in ASEAN’s collective will, in the strength of our valued partnerships and in our shared commitment to sustain progress and continuity.”

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