De Venecia stresses need for South China Sea to be declared zone of friendship

Philippine Special Envoy for Intercultural Dialogue Jose de Venecia Jr. on Wednesday stressed the need for the South China Sea zone to be established as a zone of friendship.

Speaking before the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asi,  De Venecia said territorial disputes can be resolved by a joint exploration of the area.

De Venecia earlier called for a three-way energy exploration of the Spratly Islands between the Philippines, Vietnam, and China.

"(I)t is most desirable if we, among ourselves, discard occasional enmity and exaggerated pride, and if we respond to the Sermon on the Mount and the hallowed spirit of China's storied Silk Road, we could all together embark on a journey that today could lead towards the dream of a thousand years of peace and prosperity for all our nations and for all our peoples," he said at the forum in Beijing.

De Venecia — former House Speaker — was appointed special envoy for intercultural dialogue from April to September "in recognition of his active role in promoting inter-cultural and inter-faith dialogue for many years." — Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas/RSJ/KVD, GMA News