Philippines

Resolution on the West Philippine Sea

Noting
That on 12 July 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) ruled in favor of the Republic of the Philippines (RP) in its case against the Peoples Republic of China (PRC ) regarding the West Philippine Seas (WPS), declaring that PRC’s historic and other rights within the South China Sea’s “nine-dash line” have no legal basis under the United Nations Convention on the Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS);

That PRC has failed to recognize, much less, comply with the said ruling; worse PRC’s Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) and coast guard have undertaken unprovoked, dangerous, and hostile naval and aerial operations throughout the WPS;

That aside from issues of national sovereignty and defense, these operations have affected the livelihood of Filipino fishermen and compromised the welfare of affected coastal communities; and

That PRC’s intensified acts of hostilities and aggression in contested territories in South China Sea, a vital shipping and fishing ground, are posing threats to global peace, security, and free trade.

We urge

Democracies across the globe to call for the observation of internationally mandated laws by all countries no matter how militarily powerful and superior they may be;

Democratic countries support the Republic of the Philippines’ proposed United Nations resolution calling on the PRC to respect the 2016 arbitral ruling and to cease its repeated and aggressive acts against the Filipino civilian population and military personnel in the West Philippine Seas; and

Members of Liberal International (LI) reaffirm their commitment to support the Republic of the Philippines in the protection of its national sovereignty, and declare the hostile and provocative operations of the PRC as detrimental to global peace, security and economic development.

This statement is originally published on the website of Liberal International as part of the resolution voted by members of Liberal International during its 209th Executive Committee Meeting.