VANCOUVER – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday (Canada time) thanked Canada for its continued support for a rules-based order in the South China Sea (SCS) and for recognizing the 2016 arbitral tribunal award as final and legally binding.
During a joint press statement with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Marcos acknowledged Canada’s consistent position on upholding international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos).
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“As the Philippines celebrates the 10th anniversary of the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal Award on the South China Sea, I thank Canada for its vocal and consistent support for a rules-based order in the South China Sea, under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and in upholding the Arbitral Award as final and legally binding,” Marcos said.
Marcos welcomed Canada’s increasing engagement in the Indo-Pacific through its Indo-Pacific Strategy, saying both countries recognize the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the region.
He likewise thanked Canada for deploying its Dark Vessel Detection Program to the Philippines, which has helped improve the country’s maritime domain awareness and efforts against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.
Marcos said he conveyed the Philippines’ interest in the continued implementation of the program in Philippine waters.
Carney emphasized the role of middle powers such as Canada in strengthening the international rules-based order through partnerships with “like-minded countries.”
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“The responsibility of middle powers, I’ll speak for Canada, is to reinforce the rules-based order, update it where possible, to build alliances, partnerships in areas where like-minded countries can cooperate, because that strengthens ourselves, but it also strengthens the system,” he said.
Marcos and Carney also discussed expanding defense and security cooperation as part of the newly established Strategic Partnership between the Philippines and Canada.
Carney said Canada would soon ratify the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement, allowing the armed forces of both countries to train and operate more closely through joint military exercises.
“It has to be underpinned, reinforced by shared security and that’s why we’re deepening our collaboration in marine maritime security and in multinational military operations,” he said. /dp
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