MANILA, Philippines- Ipagpapatuloy ng senior Philippine at Chinese diplomats ang pag-uusap sa southeastern city ng Xiamen sa China sa Huwebes sa gitna ng mga aksyon ng mga Chinese sa West Philippine Sea.
Kinumpirma ni Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo na magho-host ang China ng panibagong round ng Bilateral Consultation Mechanism, o BCM, nang tanungin ng mga mamamahayag nitong Miyerkules sa sidelines ng kanyang bilateral meeting sa Manila kasama si Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya.
“There are preparatory meetings now for the BCM tomorrow,” ani Manalo, tumangging magbigay ng detalye.
“We don’t want to prejudge what the events or outcome will be, but what I can say is that they will, of course, be discussing the situation in the region, in the South China Sea and the West Philippine Sea, including the recent developments.”
Si Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Policy Ma. Theresa Lazaro, deputy ni Manalo, ang magiging kinatawan ng Pilipinas.
Inaasahang tatalakayin ng dalawang panig ang territorial issues hinggil sa West Philippine Sea at sa South China Sea kasunod ng malaking Chinese Coast Guard vessel, tinatawag na monster ship, na namataan sa Philippine-claimed Scarborough Shoal (Bajo de Masinloc) at naglayag malapit sa northwestern coast ng Zambales nitong Linggo.
Naghain ng protesta ang Manila, kung saan iginigiit sa China na agad na alisin ang nasabing vessel.
“The presence of the monster ship in Filipino waters, 77 nautical miles from our shoreline, is unacceptable,” pahayag ni Jonathan Malaya, assistant director-general ng National Security Council.
“You’re pushing us to the wall,” giit pa ni Malaya. “All options are on the table because the closer the monster ship is in the Philippine waters, the more it makes tensions high and the more the Philippine government contemplates things it was not contemplating before.”
Noong July 2016, pinaboran ng The Hague-based tribunal ang Pilipinas at idineklara ang malawakang claim ng China sa South China Sea na “ilegal at walang basehan” sa ilalim ng international law. Patuloy naman ang pagbalewala ng China sa desisyon. RNT/SA