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Philippines-China ties: Major developments

September 26, 2023 | 7:07pm
Location: PHILIPPINES, CHINA
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Philippines-China ties: Major developments
September 26, 2023

National Security Adviser Eduardo Año says the Philippines was "well within its rights" to remove any barrier at the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea.

"The Philippines is well within its rights to remove any barrier in Bajo de Masinloc since it infringes on our maritime rights," Año says in a statement, using the Philippine name for the reef. — AFP

August 31, 2023

The Philippines rejects the 2023 version of China’s standard map as it features a ten-dashed line that claims territory over parts of the Philippines, PTV reports on Thursday.

PTV says the DFA has issued a statement saying that the latest attempt by Beijing to claim sovereignty and jurisdiction over the Philippine features and maritime zones, has no basis under international law and stressed that the 2016 Arbitral Award has invalidated the then nine-dashed line.

Malaysia has also rejected the new Chinese map.

Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Brunei also have overlapping claims in parts of the sea, while the United States sends naval vessels through it to assert freedom of navigation in international waters. — PTV with reports from AFP

June 22, 2023

Fishers on Thursday raise alarm over the "coordinated fishing ban in the West Philippine Sea" between the Philippine and Chinese governments.

In a statement, activist fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) says that the Marcos administration "should not entertain Beijing’s fishing ban that covers the Philippine waters in the first place."

“The Marcos administration should outrightly reject Beijing’s annual unilateral fishing ban. There should be no room for any compromise, not even a coordination in regards to fishing activities in our territorial waters. We assert that the Filipinos are not obligated to abide by the fishing ban imposed by a country that has been responsible for massive destruction of coral reefs and other marine resources in the West Philippine Sea," it says. 

April 22, 2023

Manila says on Saturday that the Philippines' top diplomat has expressed his concern to Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang over escalating tensions in waters around Taiwan.

Philippine foreign secretary Enrique Manalo met Qin as the two countries seek to deepen economic ties while also managing their dispute in the South China Sea, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) says in a statement after the talks.

"Secretary Manalo reaffirmed the Philippines’ adherence to the One China Policy, while at the same time expressing concern over the escalating tensions across the Taiwan Strait," DFA says. — AFP

March 13, 2023

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, chair of the Senate defense panel, says the Philippines is not waging a war with China, but Beijing bristling over the designation of four new EDCA sites in the Philippines is "inevitable" due to the rising tension between them and the United States.

But he notes that the Philippines has a historical relationship with the Washington, with whom we have signed a mutual defense treaty.

"We are not waging a war against China. In fact, China is our trade partner.It is in our best interest to preserve and safeguard peace, and promote stability and security with the help of our neighbors in Southeast Asia," he says.

"Any confrontation between two major powers could be devastating for the world economy. We remain committed to keeping peace and prosperity in the region," the lawmaker adds.

February 14, 2023

The United States says its stands with Philippines in the face of the People’s Republic of China Coast Guard’s reported use of laser devices against a crew of the country’s own coast guard over Ayungin Shoal, which the arbitral ruling has ruled that China has no claims over.

“The PRC’s conduct was provocative and unsafe, resulting in the temporary blindness of the crewmembers of the BRP Malapascua and interfering with the Philippines’ lawful operations in and around Second Thomas Shoal,” it adds.

This was after Beijing claimed its coast guard’s actions were done in defense of its sovereignty, as it pinned the blame on Philippines instead.

“We hope the Philippine side will respect China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea and avoid taking any actions that may exacerbate disputes and complicate the situation,” Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Wenbin says.

January 5, 2023

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recaps agreements signed during his state visit to China, talks about ways to address the trade imbalance between Manila and Beijing.

He emphasizes his administration's independent foreign policy, reiterates maritime issues between the two countries do not constitute the entirety of the relations between Philippines and China. — The STAR/Alexis Romero

June 9, 2021

In a letter to President Rodrigo Duterte, Chinese President Xi Jinping hails the "everlasting friendship" between the two countries as they commemorate the 46th anniversary of their diplomatic ties.

"China and the Philippines are friendly neighbors with time-honored friendship," Xi tells Duterte in a letter dated June 9.

The Chinese leader told his Filipino counterpart that he stands ready to work together in moving the two countries' bilateral relations forward.

April 30, 2021

Fisherfolk group Pamalakaya files three petitions against China before the United Nations seeking to:

  • Declare China Coast Guard Law null and void
  • Pursue demilitarization of West Philippine Sea and South China Sea
  • Investigate impact of Chinese aggression in West Philippine Sea
September 29, 2020

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin meets with Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian in this photo released by the Chinese Embassy.

The meeting was "on the occasions of the 71st anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and Mid-Autumn Festival, both falling on October 1," the embassy says in a release.

"The Secretary and Ambassador exchanged views on China-Philippines relations, strategic cooperation and issues of common concern," it also says.

July 29, 2020

Following the appeal of President Rodrigo Duterte for priority access once COVID-19 vaccine is available, Beijing says it is willing to put Manila on top of its list.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokersperson Wang Wenbin notes that the Philippines and China have turned anti-epidemic cooperation into a "new highlight" in bilateral relations since the outbreak of COVID-19, which first emerged in Wuhan City late last year.

"The Philippines is a friendly close neighbor and we will give priority to its needs once we succeed in developing a vaccine," Wang says in a press briefing Tuesday.

June 6, 2020

Opposition Sen. Leila de Lima chides President Rodrigo Duterte's attempt to condition the Filipino public to pin their hopes of survival on a still non-existent vaccine against COVID-19 

“Duterte is doing his job excellently. As China’s lackey, that is. [H]inarang na nya agad ang iba pang posibleng suppliers ng gamot katulad ng Japan, US, o iba pang bansa sa Europa. Since day 1, we have heard nothing but ‘unless there is a vaccine’ plus China,” De Lima says. 

December 8, 2019

Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian earlier this week says the Communist Party of China "and the ruling political parties coalition led by the PDP-Laban shoulder great responsibilities to further develop their countries and improve the capacity for governance."

Huang made the remarks at a speech at the Thematic Briefing on the Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, held at
Makati Shangri-La Hotel, the Chinese Embassy says in a media release.

"Honoraries present at the meeting were Honorable Wang Ning, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, President of PDP Laban Senator Koko Pimentel, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Dong Gonzales Jr., Vice President for International Affairs of PDP-Laban Secretary Raul Lambino, leaders of the NP, NPC, Lakas-CMD and NUP, and distinguished members of the Filipino-Chinese community," the embassy also says.

August 30, 2019

Presidential spokesperson Panelo says President Duterte and Chinese President Xi agreed "both countries should refrain from performing aggressive and provocative acts that will trigger incidents," The STAR's Alexis Romero reports. 

Panelo says aggressive acts that can impair Phl-China ties include unannounced entry into territorial waters, depriving fishermen access to fishing grounds.

August 20, 2019

The Palace says President Rodrigo Duterte has decided that "all foreign vessels passing [through] our territorial waters must notify and get clearance from the proper government authority well in advance of the actual passage" in response to reports of Chinese warships sailing through the Sibutu Strait without coordinating with the Philippines.

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo says the decision is mean "to avoid misunderstanding in the future."

August 6, 2019

President Rodrigo Duterte will raise the 2016 arbitral ruling over the South China Sea when he visits China this month, presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo says.

The Duterte administration has played down the ruling, which holds that China's nine-dash-line claim over most of the sea—part of which Manila claims and calls the West Philippine Sea—has no basis in international law.

He has said that there will come a time during his presidency that he will raise it with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

In June, Duterte said he had entered into a spoken agreement with Xi over fishing in the area. He said Filipinos fishers would get access to Scarborough Shoal, also called Panatag and Bajo de Masinloc, while Chinese fishers could fish in the Recto Bank, which is inside the Philippine exclusive economic zone.

He later lamented that the Philippines cannot enforce its EEZ and that the government has been trying to avoid war with China.

July 12, 2019

Lawyers handling the petition for a Writ of Kalikasan in parts of the West Philippine Sea will ask the Supreme Court for time to consult fisherfolk of Zambales and Palawan in the wake of an allegation by the Office of the Solicitor General that 19 fishermen in the petition had disavowed the plea, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines says.

The statement comes on the day that the OSG said the parties would move to have the petition dismissed.

"The IBP advocates for the enforcement of environmental laws, protection of the rights and welfare of fisherfolks, and securing the territory and patrimony of our country in the West Philippine Sea," the national lawyers' group also says.

"The IBP stands firmly with the firshermen, IBP chapters, and the lawyers involved in the petition for a writ of kalikasan filed before the Supreme Court."

July 4, 2019

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. is correct in saying there is no goverment policy to allow Chinese vessels to fish in the Reed Bank despite President Rodrigo Duterte and the Palace saying a verbal agreement exists and is in force, Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio says.

"Secretary Locsin knows that there is no recorded minutes of the so-called verbal agrrement between President Xi and President Duterte allowing the  Chinese to fish in Reed Bank in exchange for Filipinos fishing in Scarborough Shoal," Carpio says in a message to reporters.

"Any such verbal agreement, if confirmed by the Philippine government, will bind the Philippines to allow the Chinese to fish in Reed Bank for as long as China allows Filipinos to fish in Scarborough Shoal," he says in the statement, where he also calls the supposed deal lopsided since China has a bigger fishing fleet.

Recto Bank is also a bigger fishing area than Scarborough Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc, where Duterte says China has allowed Filipinos to fish. 

According to a 2016 arbitral ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration, Scarborough is a traditional fishing ground. 

July 3, 2019

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana says they will conduct their own inquiry on the reported series of anti-ballistic missile tests in the hotly contested waters of South China Sea over the weekend.

“We have no first hand knowledge about it. We will conduct our own inquiry and will decide later what to do if proven correct,” Lorenzana says. 

June 30, 2019

Vice President Robredo stresses critics of the adminstration's policy towards China on the West Philippine Sea do not want war and that standing up to the regional giant is not tantamount to declaring war.

Robredo points out Vietnam has been vocal about incidents involving China in waters that it claims but relations between the two countries remain good.

"We don't want to go to war with China. We believe the Philippines will benefit from good economic relations with them, but not to the point of abuse," she says.

"It shouldn't be at the expense of our sovereignty and our territory," she says in Filipino on her weekly radio show.

She says Indonesia has also taken a hard stance against Chinese vessels in its waters.

"Isn't it that when Chinese vessels enter their territory illegally, they blow those up? But the two countries don't go to war. So, I hope the examples set by other countries will be a lesson for us that you shouldn't sacrifice the friendship... but you also don't allow abuse of our country," she says.

June 27, 2019

President Duterte dares critics who question his decisions on the South China Sea row to impeach him. 

"Iimpeach ako? Kulungin ko sila lahat! Subukan nyo (Just do it)," Duterte says in a chance interview in Malacañang on Thursday. 

(They will impeach me? I will jail them all!)

"Try to take it, I mean to do it, and I will do it. Sabihin ko sa mga sundalo, ipadala ko kayo doon, eh paano ang mga pamilya nito? Pu*** i** tapos maubos? (You want me to tell my soldiers to go there, how about their families? Son of a b**** and then they will be wiped out)?" he adds. ?— The STAR/Alexis Romero

June 21, 2019

The legal counsel of Albert del Rosario says that the former top diplomat is still being held. 

Lawyer Anne Marie Corominas, in a phone interview with Philstar.com, says that the Hong Kong Immigration has not been able to explain why Del Rosario is being held when he is using a diplomatic passport. 

She adds that the Philippine consulate has informed Hong Kong of Del Rosario's trip prior to his travel.

June 21, 2019

Former Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, who filed a case before the International Criminal Court against China's crimes against humanity, was held for over an hour at the Hong Kong airport, his legal counsel says.

Monitor major developments on Philippines and China ties and geopolitics.

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