MANILA, May 26 -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday called on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders to accelerate the adoption of a legally binding Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea, as tensions continue to rise in the region.

Speaking during the 46th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Marcos said the COC is essential to "safeguard maritime rights, promote stability, and prevent miscalculations at sea."

"We underscore the urgent need to accelerate the adoption of a legally binding Code of Conduct in the South China Sea," Marcos said in his intervention, reiterating the Philippines' call for a rules-based order amid increasing geopolitical tensions.

The call comes as confrontations between ...