Foreign Minister Wang Yi Calls China's Relations With The Philippines On Road Intersection

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. (Photo: Doc. Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

JAKARTA - Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said his country's relations with the Philippines were at a crossroads related to the South China Sea issue.

"Foreign Minister Wang Yi stressed that China-Philippine relations are currently at a crossroads and face options to where to go. There is no way out of conflict and confrontation other than dialogue and negotiations," the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a written statement in Beijing, quoted from Antara, Saturday, July 27.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi's statement was delivered during a meeting with Philippine Foreign Minister Enrique Manalo on the sidelines of a meeting of foreign ministers member ASEAN countries and their partners on Friday (26/7) in Vientiane, Laos.

"Currently, China-Philippine relations are facing serious difficulties and challenges. The root of the problem is that the Philippines has repeatedly violated consensus between the two countries and its own commitments, continuously committing violations in water areas and strengthening public opinion on this matter," Wang Yi said in the statement.

China, according to Wang Yi, is deeply concerned about this and firmly opposes it.

"Especially if the Philippines directs the United States medium-range missile system, it will create tensions and regional confrontations and trigger an arms race, which is not in line with the interests and aspirations of the Filipino people," added Wang Yi.

Earlier a Philippine military official said the United States deployed the Typhon missile system to the Philippines as part of a joint military exercise with the Philippines earlier this year even though the system was not fired during the exercise.

"China and the Philippines are close neighbors who face each other across the ocean. Good neighboring relationships, mutually beneficial cooperation and joint development are of fundamental interest between the two countries," said Wang Yi.

The positive and negative experiences and learning of China-Philippine relations in recent years have repeatedly proven that building a good relationship is not easy, but it's easy to destroy it.

"China recently reached a temporary agreement with the Philippines on humanitarian supplies to the coastal island of Ren'ai Jiao. The key is that the Philippines must fulfill its commitments and stop changing the rules and break its promises, and stop repeatedly creating unrelated problems. Otherwise, China will respond firmly," added Wang Yi.

Wang Yi also hopes that the Philippines will seriously consider the direction of future China-Philippine relations, cooperate with China and push bilateral relations back on track as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, Philippine Foreign Minister Enrique Manalo said that the Philippines and China have a long history of traditional friendship and both sides have established comprehensive strategic cooperative relations based on equal and mutually beneficial positions.

"Although the two countries face difficulties and challenges due to maritime problems, the Philippines is committed to reducing the situation through dialogue and consultation and dealing with differences constructively," said Manalo.

The two countries, according to Manalo, recently held a bilateral consultation meeting on the South China Sea issue and reached an agreement on controlling maritime situations that reflected their good intentions without affecting their respective positions.

"Next year marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and China. The Philippines is willing to strengthen communication with China with a sincere and pragmatic attitude, increase mutual trust, and improve bilateral relations," said Manalo.

On the Chinese Foreign Ministry website on Saturday, it was stated that the Philippines had delivered logistics supplies to the BRP Sierra Madre warship which was deliberately buried as a "floating headquarters" for Philippine coast guard in the Ren'ai Jiao coral reef area, the Philippines called "Beting Ayungin".

"Based on a temporary agreement reached by China and the Philippines in controlling the situation in the Ren'ai coral reef area, this morning, under the full supervision of the Chinese Coast Guard, the Philippines made deliveries of daily necessities. Logistical deliveries were made after notifying China first," a spokesman for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

After China confirmed at the location that the cargo was only in the form of humanitarian supplies, the Chinese coast guard allowed the logistics delivery.

"China's position in the Terumbu Karang Ren'ai Jiao problem has no change. China has sovereignty over the Nansha Islands, including the Ren'ai reefs, and the surrounding waters. At the same time, China will continue to deal with territorial issues and maritime rights disputes with the Philippines through dialogue and consultation," a spokesman said.

The Chinese government claims to have sovereign and jurisdictional rights over islands called "Nanhai Zhudao" in the South China Sea, consisting of Dongsha Qundao, Xisha Qundao, Zhongsha Qundao and Nansha Qundao or better known as Pratas Islands, Paracel Islands, Spratly Islands and Macclesfield Bank areas.

However, since 1999, the Philippines has placed the BRP Sierra Madre warship in the Ren'ai Jiao coral reef area or the Philippines calls "Beting Ayungin" and sent logistics to fill supplies and people to the floating headquarters which often sparked open conflict with China's coast guard.

The South China Sea is still a hotspot in the region because China claims almost all the waters in the South China Sea. ASEAN member countries namely Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines also claim the region.