The Philippines is pushing for an ASEAN Declaration on Maritime Cooperation at the 48th ASEAN Summit, a move welcomed by ASEAN foreign ministers as they met in Cebu to discuss regional security and economic stability.
The proposed declaration will identify specific maritime cooperation initiatives that can support safer and more efficient sea lanes, which are vital for trade‑dependent economies like the Philippines, according to a press statement by the Chair of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat, Philippine Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro.
At the retreat last week (January 29), the ministers reaffirmed the importance of the ASEAN Maritime Forum (AMF) and the Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum (EAMF) as platforms for dialogue and cooperation on maritime issues, and they looked forward to the second edition of the ASEAN Maritime Outlook and new initiatives under the EAMF this year.
ASEAN also underscored the importance of maintaining peace, security, stability, safety, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea, emphasizing its vision of the area as a “sea of peace, stability, prosperity, and sustainable development.”
Crucially for regional and global commerce, the ministers welcomed the “positive momentum and progress” in negotiations on a Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea, and declared their intention to conclude an effective and substantive COC within 2026.
They highlighted that practical confidence‑building measures to reduce the risk of accidents, misunderstandings, and miscalculation at sea are necessary to create an environment conducive to these negotiations.
These efforts are unfolding against the backdrop of continuing concerns in the South China Sea over land reclamations, incidents at sea, environmental damage, and actions that raise tensions and erode trust.
The statement reiterated ASEAN’s call for all parties to exercise self‑restraint, avoid actions that could escalate disputes, and pursue peaceful resolution of differences in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
For shippers, exporters, and investors who rely on uninterrupted maritime trade through the South China Sea, ASEAN’s emphasis on rules‑based behavior, confidence‑building, and accelerated COC talks is a signal that the region’s governments are seeking to manage tensions without undermining economic flows.
The proposed ASEAN Declaration on Maritime Cooperation, aligned with ongoing AMF/EAMF work and COC negotiations, offers a framework where maritime security and commercial interests can reinforce each other, rather than collide.