ASEAN foreign ministers urge peace, restraint amid South China Sea tensions

MANILA, Philippines — Top diplomats of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) expressed concern over escalating tensions in the South China Sea and called on all parties involved to engage in peaceful dialogue. 

In a statement Saturday, ASEAN foreign ministers said they "closely follow with concern the recent developments in the South China Sea that may undermine peace, security and stability in the region."

"We reaffirm the importance of maintaining and promoting peace, safety, security, stability, and freedom of navigation in and overflight above the maritime sphere of Southeast Asia, particularly the South China Sea," they said. 

The statement comes amid rising tensions between the Philippines and China, with Manila releasing videos showing Chinese ships ramming and firing water cannons at Philippine vessels. 

Relations between the two countries have deteriorated under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who has sought to strengthen ties with the United States and push back against Beijing increasingly aggressive behavior in the West Philippine Sea. 

The foreign ministers also reaffirmed the need to exercise self-restraint that "would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability" and pursue peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). 

"We reiterate the importance of peaceful dialogue that contributes constructively to the promotion of regional stability and cooperation in the maritime domain," they said. 

ASEAN and China have been negotiating over a South China Sea Code of Conduct, but the process has been slow.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea, encompassing waters and islands close to its neighbors' shores. It has ignored an international tribunal ruling in 2016, which stated that its claims have no legal basis. 

Marcos earlier emphasized the need for a "paradigm shift" in tackling China's aggression in the West Philippine Sea as he said diplomatic efforts with Beijing were heading in a "poor direction." — with report from Agence France-Presse