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United States warship USS Benfold (DDG 65) transiting near the Spratly Islands, South China Sea. US Navy’s photo
MANILA – Disputes in the South China Sea dating back to the 1970s, have largely centered around China’s claimed exclusive economic zone.
The region has significant oil and natural gas reserves, small islands and coral reefs, and rich fishing grounds.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said on Wednesday that the territorial dispute in the South China Sea “keeps him awake at night”.
“Any conflict in the region would be a disaster for the world,” he said.
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Speaking at the World Economic Forum (WEF), Marcos Jr referred to the longstanding dispute between China and his country, along with other countries in and around the South China Sea, including Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei.
“(Discord) keeps you up at night, keeps you up during the day, keeps you up all the time… It’s very dynamic, it’s constantly changing so you have to pay attention to it,” Marcos Jr. was quoted as saying by AP.
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According to Marcos Jr.’s account, the cause of the dispute was clear. “We have no claims against China. What we have is China making claims on our territory,” he said.
He added, “No one wants to go to war. We do not. China doesn’t. The United States doesn’t.”
