President Marcos on Wednesday directly told Chinese Premier Li Qiang that the Philippines would press on with its claim to the West Philippine Sea, as defined by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos). For his part, Li maintained that China has upheld peace and tranquility in the Asia-Pacific region despite escalating tensions in the area. Mr. Marcos made the statement at the 43rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit with China as he also thanked Beijing for its cooperation with the group, saying it has helped the region grow. He stressed, however, that growth was only possible with peace.

Mangaluz, J. (2023, September 7). Beijing: We are keeping peace, tranquility. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A4.