Palace: No rift with China amid Teodoro row with Chinese Embassy

The Palace on Monday said the Philippines continues to maintain good relations with China despite the heated exchange between Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and the Chinese Embassy in Manila.

“Sa parte po ng Pilipinas, itinuturing pa rin po na maganda ang relasyon ng ating bansa sa bansang China,” Palace press officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said during a press briefing.

(On the part of the Philippines, our country’s relationship with China is still considered to be good.)

“So hindi naman po nagkakaroon ng ano mang rift o sigalot dahil lang sa mga mensahe ng ating Defense Secretary,” she added.

(So there has not been any rift or conflict simply because of the statements made by our Defense Secretary.)

Over the weekend, Teodoro criticized the Chinese Embassy in Manila and accused Beijing of “insincerity and duplicity” in its dealings with the Philippines.

Teodoro was responding to an earlier statement from the embassy expressing “serious concern” over what it described as the “frequent apprehensions” of Chinese nationals by Philippine military and law enforcement authorities.

In response, the embassy issued another statement criticizing Teodoro, warning that if his group was “allowed to continue to act with impunity,” it could harm the Philippines’ economy and people’s livelihoods and damage bilateral relations.

Castro said both Teodoro and China were merely carrying out their respective mandates.

She also emphasized that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed that relations with other countries, particularly on issues concerning the West Philippine Sea, should be handled diplomatically.

“We can protect our rights, we can fight for our interests in a diplomatic manner. ‘Yan naman po ang nais ng Pangulo (That is what the President wants),” Castro said.

Castro maintained that the Philippines has not gone beyond the bounds of defending its sovereign rights and territorial interests.

“Wala naman po tayong probokasyon, wala naman po tayong agresyon, at wala rin naman pong pananakop na ginagawa ang Pilipinas sa kahit ano mang territoryo,” she added.

(We have not engaged in any provocation or aggression, and the Philippines is not occupying any territory.)—MCG, GMA News