OFW in Taiwan hopes tension with China will not escalate

Overseas Filipino workers in Taiwan continue to go about their daily routine amid tensed relations with China, according to JP Soriano's report on "24 Oras."

But Liz, who has been working for a manpower service firm in Taiwan for 20 years, hopes the tension will not escalate.

“Sana po mapag-usapan ng Taiwan at China ‘yung issue. Sobrang ayaw namin mangyari yung iniisip ng marami sa situation ngayon. Sana hindi po matuloy. Sana wala pong maging gulo sa pagitan ng dalawang bansa,” she said.

(We’re hoping Taiwan and China can settle the issue. We don’t want to happen what people are thinking. We hope that there will be no conflict between the two countries.)

There are around 200,000 OFWs in Taiwan, the report said.

China conducted a large-scale military drill in six areas surrounding Taiwan Strait after the visit of United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on August 2.

The Taiwanese government reported some Chinese fighter jets passed through the median lines in the Strait, describing the move as “highly provocative”.

Taiwan clarified it has no intention of starting any dispute, saying it is focusing on maintaining the status quo on both sides of the Strait. The country further said it is open to dialogue but reiterated that it is prepared to defend its sovereignty and security.

The US condemned China’s move as “irresponsible”.

“China has chosen to overreact. The United States is prepared for what Beijing chooses to do. We'll not seek, nor do we want a crisis,” US National Security spokesperson John Kirby said.

“At the same time, we will not be deterred from operating in the seas and the skies of the Western Pacific, supporting Taiwan and defending a free and open Indo-Pacific,” he added.

For its part, the Philippine government said it is continuously monitoring the developments between Taiwan and China.

“Magre-react na lang po tayo matapos ang masusing pag-aaral at tsaka subject to the information that we get. Nag-iingat po tayo dito sa mga ganitong klaseng situation,” Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said.

(We will react after carefully studying the situation and subject to the information that we get. We are very careful when it comes to these situations.)—LDF, GMA News