The Philippines regards China as a partner rather an enemy, according to a senior Philippine diplomat.
In an interview in Beijing yesterday, Philippine Ambassador to China Jose Santiago Sta. Romana said the Philippines has applied a dual-track approach to resolve territorial disputes in the South China Sea.
“The compass we use is our national interest and our Constitution. Meaning, you defend what is yours, what you believe is yours and you maximize where you can cooperate,” Sta. Romana explained.
“In the same way that we view China, not as a hostile or an enemy but rather as a partner in development. And then the aspect where you have differences, you try to max — to manage and you try to deal with — in diplomacy. The problem is when you’d combine the two tracks and you think with one-track mind and you put the disputes in the front and center, then you have a problem. So that’s what we’re trying to do, compartmentalize,” he further said.
President Rodrigo Duterte is currently in Beijing, China to participate in the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation from April 25 to 27.
Duterte is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang today “to take stock of key developments in bilateral relations and regional affairs.”
The post PH top envoy: China is our partner, not our enemy appeared first on Latest Philippine politics news today.
* This article was originally published here
0 Comments