Intervention by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at the 13th ASEAN-US Summit
The Honorable President Donald J. Trump,
Your Majesty, Excellencies,
We recognize the United States’ active and meaningful engagement with ASEAN across all three Community Pillars — political-security, economic, and socio-cultural.
On maritime cooperation, the Philippines thanks the United States for its steadfast support in promoting peaceful and sustainable seas.
We acknowledge the United States’ continued support by co-chairing the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Training Series and Best Practice Manual on International Ship and Port Facility Security Code from 2021-2024, an important initiative aimed at enhancing capacity in the shipping and seafaring industry in ASEAN.
We look forward to co-chairing with the United States and the Republic of Korea (ROK) the upcoming ARF Workshop on Best Practices for Port State Measures to Combat Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing, which will further advance our shared commitment to maritime security and sustainability.
We also thank the United States for working with ASEAN on Transnational Crime and Counter-Terrorism.
We note with appreciation the continued convening of the ASEAN Plus United States Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC + U.S.) Consultations, which serve as an important platform to further strengthen our cooperation in combating transnational crime, focusing on five (5) priority areas, namely trafficking in persons (TIP), cybercrime, illicit drug trafficking, terrorism, and illicit trafficking of wildlife and timber.
We particularly look forward to co-chairing the 22nd ARF Inter-Sessional Meeting on Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime.
This cooperation is of particular importance to ASEAN, including the Philippines, as we continue to confront emerging challenges such as scam hubs, cybercrimes, and other forms of transnational crime that threaten our region’s peace and security.
On the economic front, the Philippines underscores the importance of deepening ASEAN-United States economic cooperation through the ASEAN-U.S. Trade and Investment Facilitation Arrangement.
This framework serves as the platform for structured economic dialogue between ASEAN and the United States. This facilitates cooperation on trade facilitation, MSME development, digital economy, cybersecurity, sustainability, and capacity building, among others.
We recognize that the global economic landscape is marked by uncertainty. ASEAN values its partnership with the United States and seeks to build practical, strategic, and forward-looking collaboration that delivers concrete outcomes for our businesses and citizens alike.
ASEAN and the United States continue to promote people-to-people exchanges that deepen mutual understanding and foster shared values.
We thank the United States for its support for people-oriented and people-centered initiatives that benefited thousands of young people from across the region through scholarships and cultural exchanges such as the Fulbright Scholarship Programs and the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI).
We hope that these valuable initiatives will continue to promote understanding and strengthen lasting connections among our future leaders.
Your Majesty, Excellencies,
On the South China Sea, it is regrettable that incidents continue to occur in the West Philippine Sea which endanger the lives of Philippine personnel and compromise the safety of our vessels and aircraft.
These include dangerous maneuvers and the coercive use of tools and equipment to interfere with or obstruct legitimate and routine Philippine activities in our own maritime zones and airspace, as guaranteed under international law, particularly UNCLOS.
Moreover, the attempt of some actors to establish the so-called “nature reserve” status over Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal, which is a longstanding and integral part of the Philippines over which it has sovereignty and jurisdiction, clearly violates not only Philippine sovereignty, but also the traditional fishing rights of our people guaranteed by international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS, and affirmed by the final and binding 2016 Award on the South China Sea Arbitration and relevant domestic laws.
These incidents notwithstanding, the Philippines will continue to remain firm, calm, and resolute in its commitment to the full implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and to pursuing productive negotiations towards a Code of Conduct that is effective, substantive, and consistent with international law, particularly UNCLOS.
This commitment is shared throughout all levels of the government, which desires to conclude an effective and substantive Code of Conduct that can effectively govern the behavior of parties at sea.
Your Majesty, Excellencies,
Before I conclude my remarks, I wish to welcome the adoption of the ASEAN–United States Joint Vision Statement, which provides a strategic framework for deepening our partnership.
This important document embodies our shared aspirations and aligns closely with both the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific and the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.
Rest assured that the Philippines will continue to support initiatives under the ASEAN–U.S. Dialogue Partnership in order to advance our shared commitment to peace, stability,
and prosperity in the region.
Thank you.
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