Former Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio has expressed concerns that the proposed code of conduct for parties involved in the South China Sea dispute may be doomed to fail. According to Carpio, Beijing’s recent moves to bolster its presence in the West Philippine Sea could indicate a reluctance by China to commit to any binding agreements. The Philippines and its allies have been pushing for joint patrols as part of their efforts to assert their claims in the disputed waters.
Carpio’s warnings come at a critical juncture, with negotiations between China and other claimant states still ongoing. However, his concerns are not unfounded, given China’s history of reinterpreting international agreements to suit its own interests. The fate of the code of conduct hangs in the balance as tensions continue to rise in the region.