The Philippines is urging China to stop “harassing” them, Philippine Foreign Minister Enrique Manalo told AFP on Monday, assuring he is committed to a peaceful resolution of disputes in the South China Sea.
Mr. Manalo was speaking on the sidelines of the 50e anniversary of relations between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Australia, following a series of incidents between Manila and Beijing in the disputed waters of the South China Sea.
The Philippine minister defended his government’s policy aimed at making public Chinese maneuvers in these disputed waters, such as the recent passage of warships near the Scarborough Atoll.
“It’s just a matter of trying to inform people of what’s happening,” the minister told AFP.
“If you stopped harassing us, and perhaps taking other actions, there would be no information to report,” added the head of Philippine diplomacy.
“We will never cede even one square centimeter of our territory and our maritime jurisdiction,” added Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, who spoke later Monday evening, on the sidelines of the summit of ASEAN in Melbourne.
“Provocative actions”
Manila and Beijing have a long history of maritime disputes in the South China Sea, through which billions of dollars of goods pass each year.
Beijing claims almost all of this marine expanse, including waters and islands near the coasts of several neighboring countries, and has ignored an international court’s ruling in 2016 rejecting the claim without legal basis.
The Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam also claim several reefs and islets in this sea, some areas of which could contain rich oil reserves.
A spokeswoman for China’s Foreign Ministry, Mao Ning, responded to Manalo’s comments on Monday, saying “China’s position on the South China Sea issue is consistent and clear.”
“The cause of recent maritime problems is that the Philippines has frequently carried out provocative actions in the South China Sea that violate our rights,” she said.
Manila has tried to rally other countries, particularly in the region, to its cause, with mixed results.
“The Philippines is committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes through diplomatic or peaceful means,” Mr. Manalo said, while insisting that “this will not be to the detriment of our national interest.”
“We are reaching out to partners in countries who share our ideas and face similar issues and concerns,” he added.
The head of Philippine diplomacy also raised questions regarding the future of relations with the country’s main partner in terms of security, the United States, where the November elections should pit the outgoing president, Joe Biden, against the Republican Donald Trump.
Washington formally committed itself through a treaty to defend Manila in the event of a military conflict.
“The United States is a major ally, a treaty ally of the Philippines. It is therefore obvious that any difference or change in American policy […] would most likely have some effect” for Manila, Mr. Manalo said.