ASEAN needs unity after PCA issues ruling on South China Sea case

(Baonghean.vn)- On July 21, the 49th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM) will be held in Laos. This meeting takes place after the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) issued a ruling on the Philippines' lawsuit against China on July 12. So, what will ASEAN say?

US President Barack Obama with leaders from 10 ASEAN countries at the US-ASEAN Summit in California on February 15, 2016. Photo: Reuters.

According to the website Thediplomat.com, for the government of outgoing Philippine President Bennigo Aquino III, the PCA's ruling is too late. However, for the new Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, the PCA's ruling will bring a difficult foreign policy challenge and force him to clearly reveal the foreign policy of this Southeast Asian country.

Thediplomat.com emphasized that the 49th AMM will put pressure on ASEAN countries with different views on the East Sea issue in the face of pressure from China. The Duterte government not only has to deal with China's criticism but also needs to ensure that ASEAN is united.

This page believes that although members have different views on the East Sea issue, ASEAN needs to unite after the PCA's ruling to maintain its central role in enforcing international law.

According to this newspaper, analysts believe that ASEAN may choose to react gently, not being too concerned about the PCA's ruling because the new President Duterte has hinted that the East Sea may be just a minor issue in the Philippine government's foreign policy, unlike the previous Aquino administration. Philippine Foreign Secretary Pefecto Yasay recommended that the Philippines should open a bilateral dialogue on the East Sea issue with China.

However, ASEAN can issue a statement strongly supporting the legal ruling of the PCA, while reiterating the strong language on the East Sea raised at the US-ASEAN Summit in Sunnylands, California (USA) from February 15-16./.

Lan Ha

(According to The Diplomat)