By Prince Golez
National Defense Senior Undersecretary Carlito Galvez Jr. has underscored two significant points to maintain the long peace and stability in the region despite growing security challenges: upholding the primacy of the rule-of-law and the continued pursuit of dialogue and multilateralism.
At the recent International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD) in Singapore, Galvez referred to international law as the greatest equalizer among states, recalling that it was precisely this belief that drove the Philippines to use the compulsory dispute settlement mechanism of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and The Hague Tribunal.
He urged all parties who subscribe to the rule-of-law to express support for the 2016 South China Sea Arbitration Award, saying that it is ultimately this support that will preserve the global order at sea and uphold the universally recognized principles of international law.
The defense official also raised the role of multilateralism in fostering the political will and mutual trust needed for constructive dialogue and reaching an agreement to abide by a shared system of norms and values.
Galvez sees multilateralism as an effective strategy for modernizing collective defense, deterring aggression, and sustaining peace and prosperity — a strategy that can send a strong message that the Philippines is not alone in shedding light on the situation in the South China Sea.
He likewise accentuated ASEAN as a remarkable example of how multilateralism can work even in a diverse region like the Asia-Pacific, emphasizing its ability to provide a neutral ground for tabling various interests based on an equitable treatment of norms and principles.
At the summit, Galvez called for a substantive ASEAN-China Code of Conduct in the South China Sea that is negotiated through a process that perseveres despite the pressures of destabilizing actions.
The undersecretary also reaffirmed the country’s commitment to diplomacy and dialogue in order to strengthen the region’s overall resilience.
The SLD, dubbed as “Asia’s premier defense summit”, is an annual gathering of defense ministers, senior military officials, diplomats, and security experts and practitioners, which ushers significant debates on the region’s most pressing security issues and important talks to generate fresh approaches together.
Galvez was joined by United Kingdom Secretary of State for Defense Ben Wallace and Canada Minister of National Defense Anita Anand in leading the discussions on the topic “Building a Stable and Balanced Asia-Pacific”.
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