Metro Manila, Philippines — The Philippine government is not closing its doors to China in managing tensions in the West Philippine Sea.
“It’s a work in progress,” said Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Theresa Lazaro in an interview with reporters on the sidelines of a West Philippine Sea Forum in Makati City on Friday.
Manila and Beijing convened the 9th Bilateral Consultation Mechanism in Manila on July 2, where senior diplomats from both sides discussed ways to manage tensions in the South China Sea.
Lazaro did not elaborate on the types of agreements or mechanisms Manila is exploring with Beijing – except for one.
“Let me put it this way: There will be no gentlemen’s agreement,” she said.
She added that the government will not agree to verbal deals.
“The DFA will not dwell in any gentleman’s agreement,” she said.
It can be recalled that China repeatedly mentioned a so-called “gentlemen’s agreement” with the Philippines during the Duterte administration.
President Bongbong Marcos and other officials have denied such agreements; even if there was one, the president said he has rescinded it.
