China reiterated its firm opposition to any form of diplomatic engagement between the Philippines and Taiwan, following Manila’s recent move to ease travel restrictions and promote economic relations with the island.
According to a report from China Daily, Director-General of the Department of Asian Affairs of the Chinese Foreign Ministry Liu Jinsong summoned Philippine Ambassador to China Jaime A. FlorCruz on Tuesday.
The meeting was held to lodge a “stern representation” over what Beijing described as a series of recent “negative actions” by the Philippine side involving Taiwan-related issues and regional security.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 82, easing long-standing travel restrictions for Philippine government officials to Taiwan. The measure aims to expand opportunities in priority investment areas.
The Chinese Embassy in Manila also issued a statement urging the Philippines to strictly adhere to the one-China policy and cease any “official interaction” with Taiwan.
“Taiwan is a province of China and an inalienable part of Chinese territory. The Taiwan question is at the core of China’s core interest. The one-China principle is a prevailing consensus of the international community and the political bedrock of China-Philippines relations,” the Embassy said.
Reports attributed to Taiwanese media said that Manila was keen on deepening its military ties with Taipei drew Beijing’s ire.
Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, spokesman for the National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS), was quoted in an interview as saying that talks are underway to regularize warship transits across the Taiwan Strait, a development he supposedly hinted could lead to formal joint military activities between the two neighbors.
However, Trinidad later told defense reporters in Manila via an online conversation that he was “misquoted.”
The Navy flag officer said he had already reached out to the Taiwanese news outfit to make the necessary corrections to its report, which it promised to do immediately.
