Will Manila and Hanoi’s maritime deal challenge Beijing in the South China Sea?
A new cooperation agreement chips away at China’s bilateral negotiation tactic, but experts say its value is mostly symbolic A decade after Beijing rejected the ruling by The Hague’s Permanent Court of Arbitration on its South China Sea claims, rival nations continue to manoeuvre for control. In the second of our series on the anniversary, Alyssa Chen explores how deepening maritime cooperation between the Philippines and Vietnam could affect China’s regional strategy. “Maintaining peace, stability and the freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea remains non-negotiable,” Marcos said. The two countries “remain resolute in their commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes”, he said, adding that this approach would be grounded in international law. As part of that upgrade, Manila and Hanoi also agreed to implement a hotline and improve coordination between their coastguards to prevent accidental clashes in disputed waters. The move came at a symbolically important time – just weeks before the 10th anniversary of the ruling by The Hague’s Permanent Court of Arbitration that dismissed China’s expansive claims to most South China Sea features.
