JV Ejercito to President BBM: Hold new round of talks with China’s Xi Jinping on continuing tensions in WPS
July 07, 2023
Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito said
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. should hold another round of talks
with Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss recent incidents of harassment by
Chinese Coast Guard vessels roaming the West Philippine Sea.
Ejercito said China’s inaction on the note
verbales or diplomatic notes submitted by the Department of Foreign Affairs
would justify the intervention of the President.
“Hundreds of note verbale have fallen on deaf
ears. Siguro, panahon na Presidente na mismo ang kumausap. It’s a very
unhealthy situation in the West Philippine Sea. More than anything, it’s our
fishermen who are deprived of livelihood. Nakakaawa naman yung mga fishermen
natin. One of the poorest sectors of society, pagkakaitan pa nila,” he said in
an interview.
In late June, Chinese Coast Guard vessels
conducted “dangerous maneuvers” around Philippine Coast Guard ships, preventing
the latter from reaching Ayungin Shoal.
Despite China’s recent donation of 20,000
metric tons of fertilizers to the Philippines, the lawmaker from San Juan said
Chinese encroachment in the West Philippine Sea raises questions about its
friendly gestures.
“Hindi na ito action ng isang ally or
kaibigan. They have been donating fertilizers with one hand but the other hand
is harassing our Coast Guard,” he said.
Ejercito joined his colleagues in the Senate
in urging the national government to raise these incidents of harassment before
the United Nations and secure the support of the international community in
enforcing the Philippines-China South China Sea Arbitral Tribunal Ruling.
The said ruling rejected China’s “nine-dash
line” claim, which covered the entirety of the South China Sea.
He also asked the national government to forge
a broader defense alliance with the country’s regional neighbors to resist
China’s growing aggression.
“Dapat dalhin na ito sa United Nations para
maenforce na yung Hague Ruling because the West Philippine Sea is really ours.
We have to exhaust all diplomatic means. Obviously we are not a superpower. Di
naman natin sila kayang tapatan in terms of military strength and military
might. Hindi talaga natin kaya. But it’s about time we bring this up with the
United Nations and strengthen our alliances in the Asia-Pacific and
Indo-Pacific area,” he said.
“We have to forge an alliance with right-thinking
nations so that the freedom of navigation will prevail in the West Philippine
Sea area,” he added.