Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 15) — Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo on Tuesday said filing a resolution before the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to end China’s harassment in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) could only be politicized, stressing Manila would continue its bilateral talks with Beijing.
The Philippine government will exhaust all possibilities before making such a move as “there’s a lot of considerations to make” when filing a resolution at the UNGA, Manalo told a budget hearing in the House of Representatives Tuesday.
“It is one thing to have a debate, a discussion, we can do that, we have been doing that,\” he said. \”Pero pagdating sa resolution [But when it comes to a resolution], it becomes a slightly different matter. It becomes politicized.\”
On Aug. 1, the Senate adopted a resolution that strongly condemns China’s continued harassment of Filipino fisherfolk and its persistent incursions in the WPS.
Among the options listed was to ask the DFA to file a resolution before the UNGA to end Beijing’s harassment.
Days after, the China Coast Guard blocked and fired water cannons at Philippine vessels which were conducting a resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal, prompting Manila to file a diplomatic protest against Beijing and summon Chinese Ambassador Huan Xilian.
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The DFA has filed over 400 diplomatic protests since 2020 but lawmakers have been critical of the protestations saying they only fell on “deaf ears.”
Manalo said the country will continue its bilateral talks with the East Asian giant, adding that “he would not say that they are hopeless.”
“Siyempre, pag nag-discuss, [Of course, when you discuss] it doesn’t mean you will necessarily agree. But there are ways that perhaps you could explain your position clearly in the hope of finding a solution,” the DFA chief said.
He also said the DFA plans to garner support from “traditional partners” and other nations when the Philippine government raises the WPS issue at the United Nations and other fora.
“In fact, what has happened is recently a number of countries who before did not speak out on the need for peaceful resolution sa [in the] South China Sea came out speaking, this includes Australia, Korea, India,” the DFA chief said.
“I think that’s the approach we are taking to garner enough support for our positions and our views,” he added.
International meeting with ‘kindred countries?’
“As you have said, Mr. Secretary, there are more and more countries siding with the Philippines for the enforcement of the [arbitral] award,” Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said in his interpellation.
“And we have all of the G7 countries without any exception,\” he added. \”They have already articulated their support for the Philippine cause. We have European Union members who also made the same statements.\”
Lagman then suggested to the department to “consider hosting an international meeting of all these kindred countries so that we could really solidify the Philippine cause,” as he explained the UNGA resolution option has risks.
Manalo said it was a “very interesting idea,” adding he is open to discussing with the lawmaker possible ways to bring it to fruition.
In 2016, the arbitral tribunal in The Hague created under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) largely ruled in favor of the Philippines in the 15 points it raised against China.
It upheld the country’s sovereign rights in areas of its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in the WPS that are being claimed by Beijing.
It also invalidated China’s expansive claims in the South China Sea.
