DFA confirms Chinese FM Qin Gang visit to Manila

The Department of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday confirmed the visit to Manila of new Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang later this week.

“Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister (SCFM) Qin Gang will undertake an official visit to the Philippines from 21 to 23 April 2023, at the invitation of Secretary for Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo,” the DFA said in a statement.

GMA News Online first reported the planned visit which comes at a tense time between China and the Philippines.

This will be Qin’s first trip to the Philippines as Chinese Foreign Minister and State Councilor.

The three-day official visit, the DFA said, “continues the series of high-level interactions between the Philippines and China” following President Ferdinand  Marcos Jr.’s state visit to Beijing in early January.

In their bilateral meeting, Manalo and Qin “will exchange views on the outcomes of the Philippines-China Foreign Ministry Consultations and Bilateral Consultations Mechanism on the South China Sea that were held back-to-back in Manila last March.”

China has strongly opposed a decision by the Marcos administration to grant US military forces access to additional sites under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) in northern Luzon, which Chinese officials said will be used by the US to possibly intervene in the Taiwan issue.

Chinese Foreign Ministry officials warned that granting greater access to US troops in the Philippines endangers regional peace and security, as they cited concerns by “many insightful people in the Philippines” that such move could draw the country “into the whirlpool of a potential conflict in the Taiwan Strait.”

China, which considers Taiwan as part of its territory that it envisions to reclaim by force “if necessary,” opposes any high-level contacts with the island and called on countries to adhere to the One-China Policy.

Taiwan is a self-ruling democratic island that separated from mainland China in 1949.

Three of the four additional EDCA locations facing Taiwan are Naval Base Camilo Osias in Sta. Ana in Cagayan province, Lal-lo Airport also in Cagayan, and Camp Melchos Dela Cruz in Gamu , Isabela. The fourth site is in Balabac Island in Palawan, the Philippine island province closest to the disputed Spratlys in the West Philippine Sea, where China and the Philippines have long had overlapping claims.

“Judging from the locations of the new military bases, the intention behind those sites is more than obvious,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry had stated.

Over the weekend, Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian drew criticisms from various sectors, including Philippine government officials and lawmakers, when he said that the Philippines is “advised” to “unequivocally oppose ‘Taiwan Independence’ rather than stoking the fire by offering the US access to the military bases near the Taiwan Strait if you care genuinely about the 150,000 OFWs.”

Senator Risa Hontiveros said the Chinese envoy should be recalled over his remarks, which the Chinese Embassy said were “misinterpreted and taken out of context.”

National Security Council spokesperson Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya clarified “the Philippines has no intention of interfering in the Taiwan issue and will not allow itself to be used by other countries to interfere in the said issue.”

Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez earlier said EDCA, which provides greater US military access to Philippine bases and deployment of rotating batches of American troops, is “a key pillar” of Manila and Washington’s defense and military cooperation. 

EDCA also gives the US the right to construct facilities and pre-position military equipment, aircraft and vessels, but prohibits permanent basing and the storage of nuclear weapons. The Philippine Constitution bans foreign military bases in the country unless covered by a treaty.

The DFA did not mention if Qin will have an opportunity to meet President Ferdinand Marcos.

Apart from maritime issues, the DFA said Qin and Manalo “will discuss ways forward in the implementation of the agreements reached at the highest levels” during Marcos’ state visit to China.

“In particular, both sides will discuss increasing and strengthening cooperation in the fields of agriculture, trade, energy, infrastructure, and people-to-people relations, among others,” the DFA said. “They will also discuss regional security issues of mutual concern.” — RSJ, GMA Integrated News