Philippines ‘not giving up too much’ to China
The Philippines has not yielded “too much” to maintain harmonious relations with China, Malacañang said yesterday.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said the Duterte government has not stopped asserting the Philippines’ territorial rights in the South China Sea, while keeping its “friendly and mutually-beneficial” ties with China.
“The Duterte administration has certainly not given up too much, too early, too soon in its relation with China nor China has gained more than us,” Roque said in a press conference.
“On the contrary, we have upheld our national interest and produced tangible benefits for our people in pursuing friendly and mutually-beneficial ties with China,” he added.
The Palace official issued the remark after a maritime law expert claimed on Saturday, February 17, that the Philippines has conceded “too much, too early, and too soon” to China.
Jay Batongbacal, director of the University of the Philippines Institute for Maritime Affairs and the Law of the Sea, said China is benefitting “too much” because of the Philippines’ “softness” over Beijing’s assertive claims to South China Sea.
Batongbacal also lamented the current administration’s failure to address the alleged presence of Chinese fisherfolk in South China Sea.
Roque said the government merely wants to sustain “peace” since Filipinos are also allowed to fish in the contested waters.
“Our people have been able to resume their right to fish in Scarborough (Shoal) and there is peace in the region. This is over and above the increased arrivals of Chinese tourists, as well as investments from mainland China,” he said.
The Philippines has won its petition filed before the Haguebased Permanent Court of Arbitration. The tribunal, in a decision on July 12, 2016, invalidated China’s “nine-dash line” that stretches deep into the territorial waters of Southeast Asia.
Despite this, Duterte has insisted on maintaining a “non-adversarial” approach to the dispute. / RUTH ABBEY GITA / SUNSTAR PHILIPPINES