Director-General of the Department of Asian Affairs of Chinese Foreign Ministry Liu Jinsong urged the Philippines to honor its commitments and match words with deeds, create enabling conditions for improving China-Philippines relations, and stay on the right track of regional cooperation. Liu also lodged serious concerns over a string of negative moves on the Philippine side.
Liu made the remarks during working consultations with Marshall Louis M. Alferez, Assistant Secretary for Asian and Pacific Affairs of the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, and a meeting with Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro in Manila on Tuesday, according to a release on Chinese Foreign Ministry’s official website on Friday.
Liu said that China values the Philippines’ desire to step up dialogue and improve bilateral ties, and consistently pursues friendship and partnership with neighbors as its neighborhood diplomacy guideline.
The Philippine side, for its part, underscored the high importance it attaches to relations with China, reaffirmed its dedication to implementing the consensus reached by the two leaders, cherished the dialogue process, and expressed its desire to improve bilateral relations, according to the release.
The Philippine side also fully reiterated the relevant provisions related to Taiwan in the joint communique on the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the Philippines, acknowledging the Government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, and fully understanding and respecting the Chinese Government’s position that there is but one China in the world, and the Taiwan region is an inalienable part of China’s territory, per the release.
The Philippines also expressed readiness to manage differences with China in a constructive manner and avoid unintended incidents, to fulfill its responsibilities as the rotating chair of ASEAN with prudence and a sense of responsibility, and not to bring bilateral disputes into ASEAN meetings, according to the release.
Global Times
