Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Malacañan on Sunday (June 7) gladly welcomed the recent statement from Beijing that “they would not seek any military solution to the territorial disputes” in the West Philippines Sea (WPS).
In a radio interview aired over the state-run dzRB Radyo ng Bayan Sunday, Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said: “Ikinalulugod natin ang mga pahayag na tulad niyan at sang-ayon din po tayo doon sa proposisyon na hindi dapat gumamit ng anumang military solution. At inaayunan din po natin ‘yung kanilang pahayag na ang apatnapung taong pakikipag-ugnayan sa pagitan ng China at ng Pilipinas ay peaceful, friendly at cooperative.”
[Translation: We appreciate statements such as the one China made and we agree on the proposition that there’s no need to use any military solution. We also agree on their statement that the 40-year relationship between China and the Philippines is peaceful, friendly and cooperative.]
Coloma said that since the maritime dispute in the WPS involves other countries, it will not be as simple as solving the issue bilaterally.
“Marami pong bansa, usually po ay more than two sa bawat pinagtatalunang lugar diyan o features o maritime entitlements diyan sa West Philippine Sea. Kaya po iyon po ang ating posisyon. Hindi po ganoon kasimple,” said Coloma.
[Translation: More countries, usually there are more than two in every disputed area or features or maritime entitlements in the West Philippine Sea. That’s why that’s our position. It’s not that simple.]
Zhao Jianhua, China’s ambassador to Manila, last Friday (June 5) said, “We want the Philippines to return to the negotiating table,” and added that China has no precondition to the resumption of the talk.
In March last year, the Philippines filed a memorial before the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) against China regarding its reclamation activities in the WPS.
Other claimants of land features located at the disputed maritime area are Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan.
