MANILA – Malacañang on Wednesday said President Rodrigo Roa Duterte will “always” uphold the Philippine national interest.
According to Acting presidential spokesperson and Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, Duterte’s stance will always be to keep defending the sovereignty and territory of the Philippines despite its close ties with China.
“The President, while engaging in diplomacy in dealing with China will always protect our territory and uphold our national interest,” he said in a Palace press briefing.
Andanar made the remark after a People’s Liberation Army-Navy “illegally” entered Philippine seas without consent from January 29 to February 1 of this year.
The vessel was observing a joint exercise by the Philippine and United States (US) navies in the Sulu Sea, according to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana.
Lorenzana pointed out that the area where the Chinese vessel was spotted lingering was in Sulu Sea, not international seas.
He added that foreign vessels are only permitted innocent passage through the area.
Andanar stated that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) had lodged a diplomatic protest in response to the incident.
“The Department of Foreign Affairs has determined that these actions violate national sovereignty and has taken appropriate diplomatic action,” he said.
He further stated that the DFA also called Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian over the vessel’s incursion in the Sulu Sea and called on China to respect Philippine territory and maritime jurisdiction.
“The DFA summoned the Chinese Ambassador to lodge a diplomatic protest regarding this incident,” he added.
Duterte told Huang Xilian during the inauguration of the Binondo-Intramuros bridge on Tuesday that Manila and Beijing “do not have any quarrel”.
He added that the Philippines and China can also discuss their territorial disputes and the Filipinos’ fishing rights within the contested waters.
“We can talk about the Spratly Islands and probably the fishing rights of my countrymen, plain talk, nothing else. In doing so, our people are given the chance to experience economic growth and enhance productivity,” he said.
On April 8, Duterte will have a virtual meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
In light of a possible spillover of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine to Asia, particularly the Philippines and China, Xi initiated a dialogue with Duterte.
meditation music