Will Philippines' seabed rights push derail South China Sea code talks?
The Philippines' latest push for seabed rights in the South China Sea could complicate its efforts as this year's ASEAN chair to build regional consensus, analysts say. Manila delivered an official submission to a UN commission on July 28.
The Philippines' latest push for seabed rights in the South China Sea could complicate its efforts as this year's ASEAN chair to build regional consensus, adding another layer of complexity to already slow-moving talks on a code of conduct for the disputed waterway.
On July 28, Manila delivered an official presentation of its partial submission on its extended continental shelf, in waters the Philippines considers its own territory, to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf. The move raises sovereignty claims that could draw pushback from neighboring states.
Analysts say the Philippine initiative could strain an already fragile consensus among ASEAN members. Whether code-of-conduct negotiations advance this year will depend on how the bloc handles this kind of individual sovereignty move.
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