Philippines’ Asean maritime hub pitch meets ‘big red elephant’ South China Sea realities

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Can a Philippine-led maritime hub succeed? Observers say the plan touches on a dispute other members are loath to broach

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Maria SiowPublished: 2:28pm, 13 May 2026A proposal unveiled by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr for a new Southeast Asian maritime centre has raised questions about its most glaring obstacle: Manila’s long-standing South China Sea dispute with Beijing.Analysts warn such a centre would not only have to avoid appearance of being an instrument of Philippine interests in disputed waters, but also risks simply duplicating the work of existing regional bodies.Speaking on Friday at a press conference following the Asean summit in Cebu, Marcos said regional leaders had reached a “very wide consensus” on establishing an Asean Maritime Centre, adding: “We are offering the Philippines to be the home of that centre.”Advertisement

The proposed facility would reportedly aim to strengthen coordination on maritime concerns across Southeast Asia, with particular emphasis on freedom of navigation, maritime safety and peaceful transit in the South China Sea.

Member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations must still finalise the centre’s framework, funding structure, operational mandate and organisational set-up.AdvertisementAdvertisementSelect VoiceSelect Speed0.8x0.9x1.0x1.1x1.2x1.5x1.75x00:0000:001.00x