China will not launch any attack – envoy
Credit to Author: CATHERINE S. VALENTE, TMT| Date: Thu, 07 Mar 2019 16:15:54 +0000
Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua has given assurances that Beijing will not launch any attack in the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea) because China is committed to maintain peace and stability in the region.
“We are worried about possible attacks from the other side. We don’t worry about China attacking anybody because it is not our policy,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission’s first anniversary celebration in Malacañang on Wednesday night.
Asked to identify the other side, the ambassador said: “Use your imagination.”
US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo earlier pledged that Washington would defend and protect the Philippines in case any of its vessels or military aircraft are attacked in disputed territory.
Pompeo, who met with President Rodrigo Duterte in Manila last week, claimed that such US action would be triggered under its obligations in the mutual defense treaty signed with the Philippines.
Duterte welcomed the pronouncement of support, but expressed qualms about the process.
“America said, ‘We will protect you. Your backs are covered’. I said, it’s okay. But the problem here is they would invoke the [Mutual Defense Treaty] which was entered into by us, by our ancestors. But, in America, it has to pass through Congress. Any declaration of war will pass Congress. You know how b***s*** America’s Congress is,” he said during a campaign sortie of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan on Sunday in Zamboanga City.
Zhao said China was more concerned on safeguarding peace, stability and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.
“Maybe you would expect the Chinese side to be very concerned about these remarks. We are concerned more, it’s about the peace and stability in the South China Sea,” he said.
He warned that every country would suffer if peace and stability turns into “chaos or conflict.”
“I think it is in the common interest of all countries, including China, the United States and Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries, that we keep the peace and stability there and we keep the freedom of navigation in the whole South China Sea open,” Zhao added.
The ambassador said Chinese officials were verifying reports that Chinese fishing vessels were driving away Filipino fishers from sandbars near the Pag-asa island.
“We are checking and we are in close coordination with DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) and we will be checking whether it is true or not but rest assured China is committed to peacefully settle the disputes we have. We are working very well in managing very well our differences,” he said. “I took note of the media report, but whether it is authentic or not it is something subject to clarification.”
Zhao stressed China was working on the Code of Conduct for the disputed waterway to help maintain peace and stability in the area.
“We are hoping that we can make further progress in our joint efforts to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea,” he said.
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