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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Defense chief cold on PH-China bilateral talks over WPS dispute

Defense chief cold on PH-China bilateral talks over WPS dispute

Published Nov 27, 2023 06:11 am
DND Gilberto Gibo Teodoro Jr.jpg
Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. (File photo by DND)

Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. appears to be reluctant in pushing for the conduct of a bilateral discussion between the governments of the Philippines and China concerning its territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

Teodoro believes that China should first show sincerity that it is willing to hear the Philippines' side, and the bilateral discussion should not be used as a "weapon" to limit Manila's assertion of its rights.

"If there are going to be bilateral discussions, it must be based on fundamental principles and it must be based on sincerity. It shall not be used merely as a weapon in order to constrain the Philippines," Teodoro said during the Talakayang Mabini 2023 and kick-off press conference for the 88th anniversary of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

However, the defense chief clarified that the conduct of bilateral discussion between the two countries remains the call of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

"Formal bilateral discussions should only be held when it is proven that they [China] are sincere but the President himself has said that their illegal activities continue unabated so to enter into a bilateral negotiations in that context will be just to be playing into their playbook," Teodoro said.

"It will be an attempt to constrain the Philippines from enforcing its claims which it rightfully has under international law contrary to the narrative of China. Their narrative is to constrain the Philippines," he added.

Teodoro said the country's fight for the WPS is not a matter of territorial expansion but of survivability and sustainability for future generations.

Teodoro has been a vocal critic of China over its aggression in the WPS.

Last week, he called out China for being a troublemaker as he denied its claims that the Philippines was enlisting foreign forces to patrol the South China Sea to stir up trouble.

Such claim was based by China on the joint patrol conducted by the AFP and United States Indo-Pacific Command in WPS as part of its recently concluded maritime cooperation activity (MCA).

Related Tags

Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. West Philippine Sea (WPS) DND PH-China
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