Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario on Sunday challenged the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) to speak out against China’s massive reclamation activities in the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea) that seek to change the status quo in one of the world’s most vital sea lanes. “Is it not time for Asean to say to our northern neighbor that what it is doing is wrong and that the massive reclamations must be immediately stopped? On this most important issue, is it not time for Asean to finally stand up for what is right?” del Rosario said during the Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. China’s activities in the region undermine Asean’s leadership, centrality and solidarity, and Asean must be able to show the world that it can act for the common interest of the region, he added.

Bauzon, B. C. (2015, April 27). DFA dares Asean to speak out vs China on sea row. The Manila Times, pp. A1, A8.