Ministry Of Foreign Affairs Encourages Southeast Asia And China To Collaborate To Face South China Sea Challenges

The Philippine coast guard ship carrying construction materials to Beting Ayungin was intercepted by the Chinese apparatus on June 30, 2023. (Wikimedia Commons-Philippine Coast Guard)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemenlu) assesses that it is time for Southeast Asia and China to collectively face collective challenges in the South China Sea.

This was said by the Head of the Foreign Policy Strategy Agency of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Yayan GH Mulyana at the opening ceremony of the 32nd South China Sea Conflict Potential Management Workshop.

"I think this is the right time for us to reflect on the collective efforts we can do and the amount we can provide to have more impact while maintaining integrity and relevance in facing common challenges," Yayan said, Thursday, August 24.

The workshop was organized by the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Geospatial Information Agency and the Center for Southeast Asian Studies.

Participants invited to the workshop are from Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam, Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, China, and Chinese Taipei.

Yayan said Southeast Asian countries and China must strengthen collaboration with the aim of tackling common challenges.

"We must strengthen collaboration and cooperation with the aim of overcoming our common challenges," Yayan said.

On the occasion, Yayan also said coral reefs in the southeast of the South China Sea were destroyed due to overfishing, natural disasters, coral reef bleaching, and climate change.

"We need to overcome this challenge (the collapse of coral reefs). We must work together to maximize science, technology, and innovation," he said.

Yayan also said that Southeast Asia and China must also foster habits for communication, dialogue, and collaboration between countries to pave the way for future generations.

"With rapid changes in the social and political landscape, the best way to prevent potential conflicts is with constant and continuous dialogue and communication so that we are able to create the best joint solutions," Yayan said.