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Camarines Sur 2nd district Rep. LRay Villafuerte is convinced that Beijing’s offer of a bilateral dialogue with Manila in the aftermath of China Coast Guard's (CCG) latest water cannon attack on Philippine vessels "will certainly go nowhere". 

“Fresh diplomatic talks that Beijing wants to initiate following its CCG's latest incursive action against our [Philippine] Coast Guard (PCG) on a resupply mission will certainly go nowhere, as the Chinese are likely to make capital of such futile negotiations, in case we fall for it," Villafuerte said. 

The Commission on Appointments (CA) majority leader claimed that further negotiations with China "are likely to only trigger escalated Chinese military and paramilitary attacks on our soldiers and fisherfolk, judging from the outcomes of the three such diplomatic talks between Manila and Beijing this year alone". 

He said this included a meeting between President Marcos and President Xi Jinping in China, which was "followed by even more hostile acts of incursions into our seas". 

Last Aug. 5, two PCG vessels on a resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal off Palawan were blasted with water cannons by the CCG. Sierra Madre, which serves as an outpost, is carrying a platoon of Filipino soldiers.  

The incident has been condemned by the international community. 

Villafuerte says he's optimistic that Philippine foreign affairs and military officials "[won't] fall for this trap of getting back at the negotiating table and putting on pause our government’s heightened efforts to protect our territorial waters". 

Meanwhile, the Bicolano also backed a proposal that the next rotation and reprovision (RORE) mission for Filipino soldiers stationed at Ayungin Shoal be carried out during the Philippines' planned joint patrols with the United States (US) and other allies that want to preserve freedom of navigation in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).