MANILA, Philippines- Nakahanda ang Pilipinas at mga kaalyado na gumawa ng hakbang kung susubukan ng Tsina na higpitan ang ‘freedom of flights’ sa South China Sea (SCS).
Ito ang sinabi ni Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. sa Associated Press (AP) report.
Itinuring naman ng Kalihim ang lumalagong agresyon ng Beijing bilang “the greatest external threat” sa national security ng bansa.
“The greatest external threat actually is Chinese aggression, Chinese expansionism and the attempt by China to change the international law through the use of force or acquiescence…or its attempt to reshape the world order to one that it controls,” ang sinabi ni Teodoro sa AP report.
Ang pahayag ni Teodoro ay matapos ang komprontasyon sa pagitan ng aircraft ng Tsina laban sa mga galing sa Pilipinas, Australia, at Estados Unidos.
Tinuran ni Teodoro na ang hakbang ay “a very serious transgression of international law, which will demand our response.”
Sinabi pa ng Kalihim sa AP report na “the Philippines will take a combination of measures singularly and with like-minded nations to counteract” gaya ng pagmamaniobra mula sa Tsina.
Idinagdag pa nito na bumuo na ang Pilipinas at mga kapanalig ng contingency measure para tugunan ang kahalintulad na insidente.
Nauna rito, ikinumpara naman ng Tsina ang South China Sea (SCS) dispute kasama ang Pilipinas sa isang “shadow play” at nagbabala na “those acting as others’ chess pieces are bound to be discarded.”
Sinabi naman ng China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs na tinalakay ni Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi sa isang press conference ang usapin sa pagitan ng Tsina at Pilipinas.
“Wang Yi noted, at an international forum a few weeks ago, an official from a regional country noted that the frictions are like ‘shadow play,’ which is a vivid analogy,” ang sinabi pa rin ng Chinese foreign affairs ministry.
“For every move on the sea by the Philippines, there is a screenplay written by external forces, the show is livestreamed by Western media, and the plot is invariably to smear China. People are not interested in watching the same performance again and again,” dagdag na wika nito.
Samantala, nagpalabas ng kalatas ang tagapagsalita ng Chinese Embassy in the Philippines na nagsasabing ang Beijing “will continue to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in accordance with law.”
“The Philippine side should stop misleading the international community, using the South China Sea issue to instigate disputes, and counting on external forces to undermine peace and stability in the South China Sea region,” ang sinabi pa rin nito. Kris Jose
