Kuala Lumpur: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. called on Southeast Asian and Gulf leaders to ensure freedom of navigation and uninterrupted trade in the South China Sea and Arabian Sea, calling the key bodies of water as 'lifelines' to regional and international commerce.

According to Philippines News Agency, Marcos addressed fellow heads of state from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) during the 2nd ASEAN-GCC Summit. He highlighted the strategic importance of both seas as crucial pathways for global commerce.

Marcos emphasized the need for strict adherence to international law amid rising tensions and maritime disputes, particularly in the South China Sea. He underscored the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as the cornerstone of maritime governance and stressed the necessity for freedom of navigation, unimpeded commerce, and protection of the marine environment through compliance with established international law.

The South China Sea has been a contentious area, with China asserting broad claims that overlap with the exclusive economic zones of several ASEAN countries, including the Philippines. Meanwhile, the Arabian Sea remains a vital route for energy exports from the Middle East, facing threats from regional instability and piracy.

President Marcos has been a proponent of a rule-based international order in maritime affairs, following the Philippines' legal victory at The Hague in 2016, which invalidated China's expansive claims in the South China Sea.