Erwin Tulfo: Senate meeting with Chinese ambassador was cordial, productive
At A Glance
- Sen. Erwin Tulfo said the meeting with the Chinese ambassador was productive and both sides agreed to a more open and continuous diplomatic meetings rather than public discourse.
Senator Erwin Tulfo said on Monday, February 23 that his meeting with Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan turned out to be cordial and productive.
The meeting was facilitated by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA); Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro was also present during the meeting.
“It was productive. Both of us agreed to a more open and continuous diplomatic meetings rather than public discourse, rather than criticize each other on-air, social media or newspaper,” Tulfo told reporters during an interview.
“He agrees that it should always be that way. To just hold meetings to further advance better relations between Philippines and China,” he said.
But more than that, the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations chief, said the Chinese envoy was more excited to discuss the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea which the ambassador said would be finished and presented soon.
The Code of Conduct will be between China and ASEAN countries, primarily Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines and Brunei.
“So hopefully, by December, we will already have the Code of Conduct,” he said.
“So, I would assume that they would have their inputs there too, because all parties, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei, we, are all amenable doon sa Code of Conduct.
Moreover, by the end of March, there would be a memorandum of agreement between the Philippine Coast Guard and the China Coast Guard.
“They should be able to negotiate in the West Philippine Sea, just have cooperation like patrol, search and rescue, clean up, that's what Ambassador Jing mentioned,” Tulfo said.