14 July 2024 – To commemorate the 8th anniversary of the landmark 2016 Arbitral Award on the South China Sea (SCS), H.E. Ambassador Maria Angela Ponce engaged in a fireside chat with Filipino university students in Malaysia on 12 July 2024 at the Sentro Rizal Kuala Lumpur.

 

The conversation was moderated by Alec Llaneta, an International Relations graduate of Taylors University in Kuala Lumpur. In his opening remarks, he asked Ambassador Ponce about the significance of the Award, especially in relation to Ayungin Shoal.

 

Ambassador Ponce said the Award is a testament to the Philippines’ unwavering commitment to the rule of law and the peaceful settlement of disputes. She emphasized the Award's enduring importance in upholding our rights as an archipelagic state under international law and stressed that the Award had ruled that Ayungin Shoal is in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and continental shelf of the Philippines.

 

The students raised questions concerning the West Philippine Sea and how it impacts in bilateral relations with Malaysia, regional security and international law.

 

The Ambassador expressed gratitude to the students for their active participation and underscored the role of young Filipino scholars in increasing awareness regarding an issue that is of vital significance to the country. END.

  

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