U.S. Ambassador MaryKay Carlson emphasized the critical need to uphold international law and ensure peace and stability in the South China Sea during her address at the Manila Dialogue on Friday.
The event, organized by the Philippine National Security Council, the Philippine Coast Guard, and the Pacific Forum, gathered key stakeholders to discuss the region’s security and prosperity.
In her panel discussion on “Peace and Stability in the South China Sea: The Stakes of the International Community,” Ambassador Carlson reaffirmed the United States’ steadfast support for the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal ruling.
She said that the ruling, which affirmed the rights of the Philippines in the South China Sea as per the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), is final and legally binding.
“The United States, the Philippines, and our likeminded partners share a common vision for a free, open, prosperous, connected, and resilient Indo-Pacific region. Standing up for the rules-based order in the South China Sea is an integral part of advancing this shared vision,” she said.
“This is why the United States has been unequivocal in supporting the historic 2016 Arbitral Tribunal decision, a milestone that affirmed the rights of the Philippines in the South China Sea as set out in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,” the Ambassador added.
The People’s Republic of China (PRC) is not only targeting the Philippines, she further emphasized, but it is also infringing upon the sovereign rights and jurisdiction of Vietnam, Indonesia, and other ASEAN coastal states over their natural resources.
Ambassador Carlson went on to criticize China for its ongoing rejection of the tribunal’s ruling and its escalatory actions in the region, including the use of water cannons and ramming tactics.
Its approach of “might makes right,” she elucidated, poses a significant threat to the sovereignty and rights of ASEAN coastal states and undermines the rules-based international order.
“The world has witnessed the PRC’s increasingly dangerous and escalatory actions over the past 18 months, as it unlawfully asserted a claim to territorial sovereignty over vast areas of ocean space, violently interfering with the Philippines’ high seas freedom of navigation in the waters, especially near Second Thomas Shoal, known here in the Philippines as Ayungin,” she stated.
The South China Sea is one of the world’s busiest maritime highways, with nearly one-third of global economic activity passing through its waters.
Each year, about $4 trillion worth of trade flows through this crucial region. Ambassador Carlson said that beyond its economic significance, the South China Sea teems with biodiversity and contributes 12 percent of the world’s fish catch, generating $100 billion annually and sustaining the livelihoods and essential diets of millions of people.
Broadening the scope, the Indo-Pacific region accounts for 60 percent of the world’s GDP and two-thirds of global economic growth. Ensuring the freedom of navigation in the South China Sea is vital for maintaining this vibrant economic lifeline.
She also acknowledged the growing international support for the Philippines and the importance of a unified global response to uphold international law and protect regional stability.
“We are far from alone. More and more nations–from East Asia to Western Europe–have spoken out to support the Philippines, uphold international law, and urge the PRC to cease escalatory and dangerous actions that impede the exercise of freedom of navigation and overflight from which all nations benefit,” she said.
“We are proud to be among the chorus of nations that have consistently lent their voices to supporting the Philippines and calling out unlawful and escalatory behavior. The collective voice of the international community is loud and getting louder, and it speaks to our common resolve in support of international law and the standards that benefit us all,” she stated further.
She said this common resolve in action has been seen in September, when over 20 countries gathered on the margins of the UN General Assembly for a Ministerial discussion on maritime safety and security in the Asia-Pacific.
