South China Sea: Philippine presidential candidates call for tougher stance on Beijing

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 Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) 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. Former defence secretary Norberto…