FOREIGN Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo yesterday said talks between the Philippines and China are being arranged in a bid to peacefully manage the maritime territorial dispute between the two countries and prevent the row from spiraling into an open conflict.
Manalo’s remark came a day after a spokesperson of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs asked Manila anew “to stop making provocations” and return to dialogue and consultation to address the maritime territorial dispute.
He said the meeting, most likely, will be held in Manila.
“We would see what we can do to manage our dispute with China and other countries peacefully. Most likely it will be held here,” Manalo told reporters in a chance interview after the celebration of the Philippines-Africa ties, when asked if there are discussions between Manila and Beijing to lower the tension in the South China Sea.
Asked when the meeting will be held, Manalo only said it will be “soon.”
Manila and Beijing have traded accusations in recent days on who is to blame for the rising tension in the disputed waters.
Recently, Beijing accused Filipino troops assigned deployed at the grounded Philippine Navy ship BRP Sierra Madre at Ayungin Shoal, or Second Thomas Shoal, of pointing assault rifles at their coast guard personnel, while Manila accused the former of provocation after Chinese coast guard personnel seized and dumped food supplies delivered by military aircraft to the Ayungin troops.
Chinese coast guard and maritime militia vessels have also harassed, blockaded and even fired water cannons at Philippine vessels doing patrol and resupply runs in the West Philippine Sea.
Manalo said he is optimistic that the planned talks will turn out positive even as he said Manila will not weaken its stance, including its sovereign rights.
Aside from China and the Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan, Brunei and Vietnam are claiming parts of the South China Sea.
All, except Brunei, have stationed troops in the islands they are claiming as their own in the disputed waterway through which more than $5 trillion in goods passes annually.
But it is Beijing, which claims nearly the entire waterway, that is the most aggressive in pressing its claim, constructing man-made islands complete with runways and ports as well as weapons systems. It has also deployed its coast guard ship backed by a growing maritime militia to enforce its claim.
Beijing also refused to abide by the 2016 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration that junked its sweeping claim in the disputed waters.
FISHING NETS
The Armed Forces dismissed Chinese media reports that Filipino troops “destroyed” and “stole” Chinese fishing nets at the vicinity of a Philippine-occupied feature in the West Philippine Sea in the South China Sea.
“We will not dignify these claims with a detailed response,” AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla, referring to the report from a Chinese state media that said personnel from the Navy ship BRP Sierra Madre “repeatedly damaged” over 2,000 meters of fishing nets near the Ayungin Shoal last month. It said more than 100 meters of Chinese fishing nets were also stolen.
BRP Sierra, a rusting Navy ship, was grounded at Ayungin Shoal in 1999 to serve as military outpost. The shoal is just 108 nautical miles from Rizal, Palawan.
“It is important to reiterate that the presence of Chinese vessels within the (200 nautical miles) Philippine exclusive economic zone is illegal and provocative,” said Padilla.
Padilla stressed Philippines has sovereign rights over these waters under international law, specifically the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
“This latest accusation is yet another example of China’s malign influence operation, which seeks to distract from the real issue at hand: their ongoing illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive actions and activities in the West Philippine Sea,” she said.
“The Philippines remains committed to upholding its sovereignty and protecting its sovereign rights in the WPS (West Philippine Sea),” she added.
CAPABILITY ENHANCEMENT
President Marcos Jr. said government continues to modernize the Armed Forces to improve it capability to deal with external threats.
Addressing the Philippine Army’s 10th Infantry Division in Mawab in Davao de Oro, the President reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to providing the Armed Forces with resources, training, and equipment to enhance its effectiveness and boost its capabilities as it transitions from internal operations to external defense posture.
Marcos said that with internal threats reduced, the country must now focus on the external threats and come up with strategies to address it.
“Hindi naman tayo nakikipag-giyera kahit na kanino. Wala naman tayong gustong pasukin. Tayo ay defensive lang naman tayo at dinedepensahan lang natin ang bansa natin (We are not engaging in any war against anyone. We are not planning to invade any country. We are taking a defensive stance and defending our country),” he said.
The President expressed confidence that the military would be able to face and defend the country against new threats the way it protected the nation against internal threats in the past.
“We would do everything to capacitate you. You have the capability to do the job, that is this new job that you have to face. You have the capability. You have the training. You have the equipment and that we will be able to present at least a deterrent force,” Marcos said in mixed English and Filipino. — With Victor Reyes and Jocelyn Montemayor
