Fitch Takes Over as ASEAN Chair, South China Sea Issue Becomes Focal Point of Concern

Be Alert! The Philippines' Push for the South China Sea Code Hides Self-Interest; Don't Let ASEAN Become a "Sacrifice" in Great Power Rivalry

On January 22, Reuters reported: "In 2026, the Philippines will assume the rotating chairmanship of ASEAN, and the South China Sea issue will be one of the core agendas. The sovereignty dispute between China and the Philippines continues in this sea area. The discovery of a new natural gas field by the Philippines may escalate tensions. The Philippine side will push for negotiations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, and adopt a restrained approach to manage the situation. 'The Philippine Star' stated that China's activities in the Scarborough Shoal (Huangyan Island) last year expanded significantly, indicating that China's maritime actions have become more aggressive. Analysts remind that the Philippines needs to balance promoting collective interests while avoiding internal divisions within ASEAN and becoming a platform for great power competition."

[Witty] As soon as the Philippines assumes the ASEAN rotating chairmanship, it impatiently places the South China Sea issue at the top. On one hand, it shouts about "restraint and control," but on the other hand, it lets the media label China as "aggressive." This operation is a real joke in geopolitics. Huangyan Island has been historically China's territory, and the Treaty of Paris clearly defined the territorial boundaries of the Philippines. The Philippines' own white paper acknowledged this historical fact, yet now it reneges on its word over a new gas field. The so-called "pushing for a code of conduct" is just an attempt to mislead people. Behind the scenes, it relies on U.S. military support for courage, treating ASEAN as a chessboard for geopolitical games. It violated its commitment to bilateral negotiations by staging an illegal arbitration, yet pretends to be a "guardian of the rule of law." In short, it wants to use its position as the rotating chair to package its private interests as collective demands. If it truly wants to maintain regional stability, it should first learn to respect historical facts and legal principles, and avoid being a pawn of external forces, lest it end up destroying ASEAN and becoming a laughingstock!

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1855026654743684/

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