During the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Australia Special Summit Leaders’ Retreat in the southeastern Australian city of Melbourne, President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. called on fellow Association members, Australia and other like-minded nations to remain committed to a rules-based international order amid actions that “denigrate, deny and even violate international law” regarding disputes in the South China Sea (SCS).

In his intervention at the special summit leaders’ retreat, the President emphasized the need to understand the lessons of history even as his counterpart leaders warned against actions that “endanger peace” in the region following fresh maritime confrontations between China and the Philippines.

Simmering tensions in the trade corridor are threatening regional stability while China Coast Guard (CCG) ships in the Spratly Islands have been accused of harassing Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessels that shipped out to conduct resupply missions in areas within the Philippine exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

But Beijing insists on claiming almost the entirety of the SCS, basing its claim on it contrived 10-dash line and ignoring legal precedents and competing claims that have been lodged before the arbitrary court and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The festering dispute poses one of the region’s most vexing security challenges and this has loomed like a harbinger of conflict during the three-day summit between Australia and the 10-member ASEAN.

“We encourage all countries to avoid any unilateral actions that endanger peace, security and stability in the region. We recognize the benefits of having the South China Sea as a sea of peace, stability and prosperity,” read a joint declaration hammered out between ASEAN members and Australia.

Foreign affairs secretary Enrique Manalo delivered a simple message to Beijing: “Stop harassing us.”

Yet on the following day, CCG boats were accused of harassing a flotilla of Philippine ships sailing on a resupply mission in two separate encounters with them blasting one of the resupply boats with a powerful water cannon.