The Philippines reaffirmed the importance of dialogue, international law, and the peaceful settlement of disputes in addressing regional security challenges during the 11th Ulaanbaatar Dialogue on Northeast Asian Security held on June 3–4, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
Assistant Secretary for Asian and Pacific Affairs Marshall Louis Alferez led the Philippine delegation at the forum, which brought together senior officials, diplomats, and experts to discuss issues including tensions on the Korean Peninsula, maritime security, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, disinformation, climate risks, energy security, and supply chain resilience.
Alferez stressed that peace and stability must be sustained through rules, restraint, regular dialogue, and constructive engagement amid growing geopolitical competition. He reaffirmed the Philippines’ commitment to sovereign equality, ASEAN centrality, the rule of law, and multilateralism.
He also underscored the importance of maritime security and the peaceful settlement of disputes under international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), noting that the 10th anniversary of the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award highlights the role of international law in resolving disputes peacefully.
As ASEAN Chair this year, the Philippines emphasized the continued relevance of ASEAN-led mechanisms, including the ASEAN Regional Forum, in promoting dialogue and addressing security challenges.
On the sidelines of the event, Alferez conveyed Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro’s invitation for Mongolia to join the 50th anniversary commemoration of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia in Manila this July.
The Ulaanbaatar Dialogue, organized annually by Mongolia since 2013, serves as a platform for regional security discussions and confidence-building among stakeholders, the DFA said.