By Roy Mabasa China on Thursday proposed a joint investigation with the Philippines regarding the recent sinking of a Filipino fishing vessel off the waters of Reed Bank in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) to be conducted at an “early date.” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lu Kang
(REUTERS / MANILA BULLETIN) Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lu Kang made this proposal in response to a question posed at a press conference in Beijing. A transcript of Lu’s statement was emailed to the Manila Bulletin by the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines. “To find a proper solution, we suggest a joint investigation at an early date so the two sides can exchange respective initial findings and properly handle the matter through friendly consultations based on mutually-recognized investigation results,” the Chinese official said. He also said that China will continue to investigate the incident thoroughly and communicate with the Philippines side through bilateral channels. The Chinese official once again offered his sympathy to the 22 Filipino fishermen who were exposed to the elements of the high seas due to what it described as “accidental collision.” In reiterating Beijing’s previous statement, he said China attaches great importance to friendly relations with the Philippines and safety of personnel at sea, regardless of nationality. “Once again, I would like to offer sympathy to the Filipino fishermen who were in distress after the accidental collision of a Chinese and a Filipino fishing vessel in Liyue Tan, Nansha,” he added. Earlier on Thursday, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra proposed a Philippine-China investigation on the Recto Bank or Reed Bank incident in an effort to "determine the facts and allocate accountabilities in a joint, instead of adversarial manner."