Philippine Presidential candidates urge tougher stance on China

Philippine Vice President and opposition presidential candidate Leni Robredo greets supporters during a campaign rally ahead of the May presidential election in Borongan city, Eastern Samar province, central Philippines on March 29, 2022. - AFP

MANILA, April 4 (Bloomberg): Presidential candidates in the Philippines want the country to take a tougher stance against Beijing over territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

The Philippines must rally the Association of South-East Asian Nations in establishing a code of conduct with China, leveraging on its 2016 victory at the Hague arbitration which rejected Beijing’s nine-dash line claim, Vice-President Leni Robredo said at the Commission on Election’s debate on Sunday.