“Well, nothing new actually has happened in terms of the code of conduct. We all just restated over and over again. Kailangan na magkaroon ng code of conduct. Because to be very, very clear about what it is that we are agreeing upon, eh kailangan may code of conduct na tayo. So ‘yun lang. That’s as far as you can go especially pagka ganyan,” Marcos explained.

Marcos was among the ASEAN leaders who had pressed on the matter during his interventions in the ASEAN-China Summit and ASEAN-East Asia Summit.

“Paulit-ulit na sa sinabi ko, it is urgent. It is becoming more and more urgent and we really should, the negotiations and the finalization of the code of conduct. There’s been some progress in the past year but we really need to have the actual code of conduct, already finalized and already in place as soon as possible,” Marcos said.

The Philippines and many other nations have in the past been calling on China to adhere to the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, which partly states that they "undertake to exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability including, among others, refraining from action of inhabiting on the presently uninhabited islands, reefs, shoals, cays, and other features and to handle their differences in a constructive manner."

Aside from China and the Philippines, the following also have claims in the South China Sea: Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan.

"Pretty much everybody" raised the importance of maintaining peace, stability and prosperity in the South China Sea, Marcos said.

What was common also among the ASEAN leaders, Marcos noted, was the need to follow the international laws when dealing with the South China Sea issue.

“Everybody, including the Chinese, says we follow UNCLOS and the international law. So at least that position of ASEAN is clear,” he said.

On the issue of Taiwan’s independence from China, Marcos voiced out that ASEAN should not interfere in the matter. 

“So sinasabi namin, okay, we are still following the One China Policy but it is, we just want to peace. ‘Yun ang aking ano, sinasabi ko. It is, we follow the One China Policy, dapat wala kami --- it’s an internal matter,” Marcos said. 

“We believe that Taiwan is part of China but you must resolve those issues peacefully. ‘Yun lang naman ang hinihingi ng ASEAN. Huwag magkagulo,” he added.

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