MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines and Malaysia, both coastal states with overlapping maritime entitlements in the West Philippine Sea, reaffirmed their commitment to international law and the rules-based order as their foreign ministers convened in Manila on Tuesday for the 9th Philippines-Malaysia Joint Commission Meeting.

The Philippines’ recent presentation of its partial submission for an extended continental shelf in the West Philippine Sea has drawn attention from regional analysts and diplomatic observers. While the move is consistent with international law, some experts caution that it could complicate efforts to forge a unified ASEAN position on a code of conduct with China.