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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider PH 'concerned' with China-Taiwan tension, calls for sobriety – Faustino

PH 'concerned' with China-Taiwan tension, calls for sobriety – Faustino

Published Sep 30, 2022 12:16 pm

The Philippines is urging all concerned nations to exercise restraint and diplomacy amid the escalating tension between Taiwan and China even as it expressed concern on the possible breakout of war in the Taiwan Strait, Department of National Defense (DND) Officer in Charge Jose Faustino Jr. said.

Chinese military helicopters fly past Pingtan island, one of mainland China's closest point from Taiwan, in Fujian province on August 4, 2022, ahead of massive military drills off Taiwan following US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to the self-ruled island. China's largest-ever military exercises encircling Taiwan kicked off on August 4, in a show of force straddling vital international shipping lanes after a visit to the island by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Hector RETAMAL / AFP

Faustino met with his United States counterpart, Department of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III, in Honolulu, Hawaii on Thursday, Sept. 29 (US time), to discuss the two countries’ bilateral relations, including Washington’s defense of Taiwan in the midst of China’s aggression.

“The principle guiding foreign policy is always peace, and the Philippines is concerned with the recent security developments in Taiwan, the Taiwan Strait particularly, which is just near our territory,” Faustino said.

He maintained that the Philippines adheres to the “One China Policy” but emphasized that dialogue among concerned parties must prevail. The said policy refers to the acknowledgement that there is only one Chinese government and Taiwan is a breakaway province.

“The Philippines’ immediate concern is the safety of our OFWs in Taiwan,” Faustino said. At present, there are around 130,000 to 150,000 OFWs in Taiwan who will be covered by the Philippines’ repatriation efforts if worse comes to worst. “And we continue to update and enhance our contingency plans.”

For his part, Austin said that the US does not want to see any type of unilateral change to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait.

“We are focused on making sure that we are working together to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific,” he stated.

Tension in Taiwan Strait, located north of the Philippines, escalated when China deployed fighter jets to cross the median line after the visit of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in Taiwan, a self-governing island, in August.

China said that the visit of the US official to Taiwan, which it considers its province, “seriously undermined” their sovereignty and territorial integrity.

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