President Marcos' remarks against China during the United States-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (US-ASEAN) Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia should put an end to the plan of the Philippine Embassy in Beijing to tap electronic visas (e-visa) for Chinese nationals visiting the Philippines.

Thus, said Cagayan de Oro City 2nd district Rep. Rufus Rodriguez as he hailed Marcos for putting into words the latter's concern over China’s aggressive activities in the WPS during the United States-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (US-ASEAN) Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Rodriguez said Marcos raised for the first time the issue of China establishing a so-called “nature reserve” around Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal, a traditional fishing ground of Filipinos about 120 miles off Pangasinan and Zambales.

“The national leadership, including the Cabinet, should support the President’s energetic defense of our national interest in the [WPS]. We should not pursue policies that will undermine such stance like reintroducing e-visa for Chinese tourists,” he said, referring to the Philippine Embassy's proposal.

The veteran lawmaker called on the Chief Executive to scrap the e-visa reintroduction plan.

“After criticizing the Chinese in ASEAN, it will not look good before our neighbors and the world that we want to entice Chinese nationals to visit our country by making it convenient for them to secure tourist visas,” stressed Rodriguez.

The President told the US-ASEAN Summit on Sunday: “On the South China Sea, it is regrettable that incidents continue to occur in the [WPS] that have put the lives of Philippine personnel and the safety of our vessels and aircraft at risk.”

Marcos said the attempt by “some actors to establish the so-called ‘nature reserve’ status over Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal, which is a longstanding and integral part of the Philippines over which it has sovereignty and jurisdiction, clearly violates not only Philippine sovereignty, but also the traditional fishing rights of our people".

He emphasized that such rights are guaranteed by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the final and binding 2016 South China Sea Arbitration Award and the Philippines’ domestic law.

The Kuala Lumpur summit was attended by ASEAN leaders and US officials led by President Donald Trump.

“PBBM’s statements before US and ASEAN leaders and the world reflect his strong defense of our country’s economic and security interests in waters and sea features that are legally ours and which China is unabashedly and persistently claiming,” said the Mindanao solon.

“The President’s vigorous assertion of our rights deserves the support of all Filipinos,” he added.