AN official of the Department of National Defense told a recent Japan-Asean Vice-Ministerial Meeting that the Philippines needs the support of the international community as Beijing remained recalcitrant in not recognizing and abiding by an international tribunal ruling against its sweeping claims to the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea).

At the same meeting, Defense Undersecretary Ricardo David called on China to comply with the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration fundamentally declaring China’s 9-dash line as having no basis in international law, specifically the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea or Unclos.

Convening for the 8th time and this time in Sendai, the meeting focused on the current state of regional security and efforts to address common security challenges and examined areas of defense cooperation between the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations or Asean and Japan.

David had been requested to share the Philippine perspective on the current regional security situation.

His talk focused on developments in the South China Sea where he also updated the meeting with the most current state of Chinese-built islands in the South China Sea.

Interestingly, according to David, the bulk of the discussions during the meeting centered on issues related to the South China Sea to include maritime domain awareness, efforts under Unclos to resolve and address the issue as well as major power activities in the area.

http://www.manilatimes.net/ph-needs-world-support-on-sea-row-defense-exec/287855/