A new Italian book launched at the Italian Senate this month puts a spotlight on the Philippines' position and inputs on the South China Sea dispute and the potential economic disruptions it could bring beyond claimant states.
The book, titled "The Economic Impact of the South China Sea Disputes," is a compilation of essays dedicated to the economic dimensions of the South China Sea row, offering a European perspective on the disputes in the Indo-Pacific. It features an article penned by former Foreign Affairs secretary Enrique Manalo, titled "Towards a Rules-Based Order in the South China Sea," in which he sets out the legal and economic stakes of the South China Sea disputes.
In the article, Manalo emphasized that the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 Arbitral Award serve as the twin anchors of maritime peace and order in the region, and that the global community must take part in "bolstering a rules-based maritime order in the South China Sea."
"The South China Sea region accounts for 12 percent of the world's fish catch and sits at the center of the Coral Triangle, which is home to over 6,500 marine species, 60 percent of the world's known fishes, and over 300 species of corals. It is estimated that more than half of the world's fishing vessels ply and conduct fishing activities in these waters," he wrote.
"The importance of the South China Sea to the Indo-Pacific region and the world cannot be overstated."
Book Launch at Italian Senate
During the book launch at the Palazzo Madama of the Italian Senate on April 20, the volume's co-editor, Prof. Donatella Strangio of Sapienza University of Rome, stated that the economic dimension of the South China Sea disputes is not secondary but central to understanding the scale and seriousness of ongoing tensions, with direct implications for global supply chains, energy markets, and marine resources.
Giulia Pompili of Il Foglio, meanwhile, pointed out that the Philippines today represents a critical frontline in "resisting China's effort to establish a new maritime order in the Indo-Pacific." She highlighted China's use of gray-zone tactics as a form of "hybrid maritime conflict with global strategic implications."
Philippine Ambassador to Italy Neal Imperial welcomed the publication's recognition of the Indo-Pacific's direct relevance to Europe's economic stability and the international rules-based order.
"The South China Sea is not merely a geopolitical abstraction," he said, citing Manalo. "The numbers speak for themselves. Any disruption to freedom of navigation in the South China Sea would not just be a regional inconvenience, it would be a global economic concern."
He pointed out that Italy and the Philippines are one in acknowledging that keeping the sea lanes of the Indo-Pacific open, free, and governed by law is "not merely a matter of security," but a matter of "economic and democratic necessity."
"Italy, one of the world's leading maritime and exporting nations, understands this very well. More than a third of global shipping transits the South China Sea. Disruptions in that artery would reverberate in Italian ports, in European supply chains, in the energy markets that sustain this continent," he said.
10th Anniversary of Arbitral Award
Ahead of the 10th anniversary of the South China Sea Arbitral Award, Imperial added that Manila would continue promoting "regional cohesion" and keep the South China Sea issue anchored in international law and multilateral dialogue.
Senator Terzi di Sant'Agata, during the book launch, expressed concern over China's continued assertion of its nine-dash line claim on the South China Sea, and the ongoing militarization of the Paracel and Spratly Islands. The Italian legislator said these actions have direct consequences on Filipino fishers in their daily lives.
Deputy Director for Asia and Oceania of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Valentina Muiesan reaffirmed Italy's commitment to a free, inclusive, and stable Indo-Pacific.
The April 20 book launch brought together representatives of the Italian Parliament, the diplomatic community, the academic and think tank communities, the Italian defense industry and the Italian Navy, and leaders of the Filipino community in Italy.
