Philippines seeks freeze on aggressive acts in disputed sea

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) wants to initiate talks on a moratorium on activities that would escalate tensions in the contested South China Sea.

In an interview on ANC's Headstart on Monday, DFA Secretary Albert Del Rosario said the proposed moratorium should be pursued while concerned countries work on the expeditious conclusion of a legally-binding Code of Conduct in the disputed waters.

"We ought to maybe consider getting together and freezing all activities that escalate tension. Let's call for a moratorium in terms of activities that escalate tension," Del Rosario said.

"I would like to initiate it and I think it's a reasonable approach," he added.

Del Rosario said the talks would be done with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and other claimants of the South China Sea.

The moratorium could also be brought up in a special ASEAN ministerial meeting proposed by Indonesia, the DFA chief added.

"I think we would use the international community to step up and say that we need to manage the tensions in the South China Sea before it gets out of hand," Del Rosario told ANC.

He hoped that the dialogues on the proposed moratorium could be started within the year.

"We need to do something quickly," Del Rosario said.

The Cabinet official believes that China is trying to actualize its "indisputable sovereignty" over the contested areas with its expanded maritime activities such as land reclamation efforts.

He also thinks that China's activities are also in anticipation of an international tribunal's decision on the arbitration case filed by the Philippines.

"They have this aggressive expansion agenda which they would like to complete before certain events take place. I think we will see more of that," Del Rosario warned. - Louis Bacani