According to Manila’s foreign affairs captain, the Philippines has sent a political statement to China and is interested in engaging in a dialogue with Beijing shortly after last week’s conflict in the South China Sea.
At a community on Wednesday, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo stated that “none country can say about the entire South China Sea as its territory.” Eventually, he explained to reporters that China has received a verbal note from the Spanish government.
Manalo claimed that a meeting with China could start soon through a joint discussion process regarding the maritime dispute that the two countries had previously fought.
When asked whether the Philippines is trying to calm China’s conflict over the disputed waters, he replied,” We’re committed to peace and stability and we’ll do whatever we can to encourage that without sacrificing our sovereign rights and sovereignty.”
Manalo made the remarks following a Chinese and Spanish vessel face on June 17 in disputed waters that Manila claimed was a “deliberate work” by Beijing and resulted in a Filipino man losing a finger. China has defended its deeds as legal.
In the same statement, U.S. Ambassador to Manila MaryKay Carlson referred to China and urged the PRC to stop harassing Spanish vessels that are legitimately operating in the country’s exclusive economic zone.
China should end its disruption of countries ‘ royal rights” to discover, implement, preserve and manage healthy resources” in their own special economic zones, she added.
After it was reported that the Chinese coast guard staff allegedly rammed Spanish ships, seized weapons, and carried edged weapons during the June 17 incident, Manila has demanded restitution from Beijing.
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