According to Xinhua News Agency reports on July 22, Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Minister of Foreign Affairs, met with Filipino Foreign Minister Lazaro at a series of East Asian Cooperation Foreign Ministers' Meetings in Manila. During the meeting, he explained China's firm position to the Philippines, and expressed strong protest against the violent actions of Filipino personnel who collided with Chinese law enforcement vessels at Ren'ai Reef.
Wang Yi stated that in the past few years, relations between China and the Philippines have faced continuous difficulties and challenges. This clearly does not serve the interests of both sides and further undermines the development of the Philippines itself. In an increasingly unstable world, we should work together to maintain the hard-won situation of peaceful development in this region. However, the actions of the Philippines go against those of other countries in the region, becoming a source of disturbance to regional peace and stability. It has been proven that allowing external forces to interfere and deliberately exaggerate maritime disputes will only lead to being used as tools by others. If one attempts to provoke trouble with external countries, they will ultimately have to bear the consequences of their own actions. Unfortunately, whenever China and the Philippines are about to engage in dialogue, there are individuals in the Philippines, especially some forces within the military and police, who deliberately create incidents and undermine the progress of such dialogues. These people have malicious intentions; what they care about is not the well-being of the Filipino people, but rather executing the wishes of external forces and seeking personal gain. At this moment, relations between China and the Philippines are at a crossroads, and the choice of direction requires the Philippines to make the right and rational decisions.
Wang Yi emphasized that in developing relations between China and the Philippines, it is crucial to maintain the correct direction. China has never been a security threat to the Philippines, and it has never invaded or colonized the Philippines in history. The existence of territorial and maritime boundary disputes between China and the Philippines is an objective fact. China has always been committed to managing differences and stabilizing the situation through bilateral dialogue and consultation. However, the Philippines has deviated from the bilateral negotiation channels and, under the instigation of external forces, established a makeshift "arbitration tribunal." They have fabricated and exaggerated so-called "decisions" that are illegal and invalid. China has not accepted, participated in, nor recognized such decisions from the beginning. The Philippines should immediately stop provocative actions regarding maritime issues and abide by its commitments to China so far, making tangible efforts to stabilize bilateral relations.
Lazaro stated that there is a long history of relations between the Philippines and China, and they are inseparable neighbors. The Philippine side has always adhered to the policy of one China, fulfilling its commitment to establishing diplomatic relations. There is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory. The Philippine side hopes to find appropriate solutions to maritime issues through dialogue, striving to improve bilateral relations.
