Locsin: PH won’t be a ‘subject’ of China
Foreign Affairs Teodoro Locsin Jr. has given an assurance that the Philippines will not be a subject of China despite the ongoing tension in the West Philippine Sea.
Locsin made the statement after former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton raised her concern that the Philippines could become a “subject” of China if it will not stand up to Beijing’s “duplicity and being a bully.”
In a tweet, Locsin assured Clinton that unlike the United States, the Philippines will not let such a thing to happen.
“Don’t worry Ma’am, as I told Asia Society, unlike Americans, we wouldn’t sell our mothers even if they were ‘merchantable,’” he said Friday evening.
“We’re not a nation of shopkeepers. US, in your watch, sold us to China.”
Locsin said this was one of the reasons why he trusts Republicans more than Democrats.
“Democrats talk democracy, Republicans helped us win it back,” he said.
On Thursday, former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario shared the concern of Clinton, saying the Philippines must stand up to Beijing’s duplicity and being a bully.
Malacañang has assured Filipinos that President Duterte is undertaking measures to address the tension at the Julian Felipe Reef but said diplomatic initiatives cannot be disclosed to the public.
“Ang larangan ng diplomasya, isang (Diplomacy is an) exception to freedom of information,” Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said on Thursday.
“Kaya po ‘yan (It is) covered by exception, dahil (because) the President must make the right decision no matter what. So let’s leave the President to his devices,” he added.
Roque, however, remained hopeful that the issue will be settled through the friendship that the Philippines has cultivated with China.
“Inaasahan po natin na yung malapit na pagkakaibigan natin ang magiging dahilan kung bakit sila ay aalis nang mas maaga kaysa mas matagal (We expect that our close friendship will be the way for their vessels to leave the area sooner than later),” he added.
Meanwhile, the Palace official said that the Philippines remains committed to the crafting of the code of conduct in the South China Sea to avoid escalating tension.