MANILA, Philippines- Pinalagan ni Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. nitong Huwebes, Oktubre 29 ang akusasyon ng China na inaabuso ng Pilipinas ang chairmanship nito sa Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) defense meetings para harangin ang paglahok ng Beijing.
Ani Teodoro, ang alegasyon ay hindi sumasalamin sa posisyon ng regional bloc.
Ito ang tugon ni Teodoro sa pag-aakusa ni Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang sa Manila ng paglabag sa consensus-based principles ng ASEAN at pagbalewala sa karapatan ng China bilang dialogue partner.
“Insofar as Asean is concerned, I do not believe our Asean member countries feel that way, if not they would have let me know,” sinabi ni Teodoro.
“So it is China’s position, it is not Asean’s position,” dagdag pa.
Nauna nang inakusahan ni Zhang ang Pilipinas sa pagpayag sa “self-serving politician” na abusuhin ang chairmanship ng 13th Asean Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) noong Oktubre 28 at 29.
“The Philippine side has allowed a certain self-serving politician to act recklessly and abuse its chairmanship to put up obstacles to China’s participation,” saad sa pahayag ni Zhang.
Sinabi rin nito na kinwestyon at tinutulan pa ng ilang bansa sa ASEAN ang mga aksyon ng Pilipinas.
“No country has the right to characterize Asean processes except Asean member countries. They are dialogue partners,” tugon naman ni Teodoro rito.
“As much as we would want to accommodate them, it is subject to rules and limitations,” dagdag niya.
Iginiit ng defense chief na binigyan ng oportunidad ang representative ng China na magpresenta ng posisyon ng Beijing sa regional at maritime security issues sa meeting.
“The important fact is they were able to articulate their position on regional and maritime securities,” ani Teodoro.
“How they are going to be heard is for Asean proper to determine and not anybody else,” dagdag pa.
“There should [be] some parity in rank and in stature. So I think an undersecretary receiving an attaché, that is already more than courteous.” RNT/JGC
