China has urged the Philippines to return to dialogue and consultation regarding the management of Ren’ai Jiao, emphasizing the importance of honoring previous commitments and maintaining peace and stability in the region.
On Thursday, the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines released a statement encouraging the Philippine side to value and honor its commitments, abide by the consensus, and promptly return to the right track of managing the situation at Ren’ai Jiao through dialogue.
The call for renewed talks comes after Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos expressed uncertainty over a previously mentioned “gentleman’s agreement” between China and the Philippines concerning Ren’ai Jiao. In an interview on Wednesday, President Marcos stated he was unaware of any such agreement and was “horrified” at the notion that the Philippines might have compromised its territory, sovereignty, and sovereign rights through a secret deal.
In response, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy reiterated China’s longstanding position that territorial disputes should be settled peacefully through negotiation. “Before the territorial disputes are settled, differences should be properly managed through dialogue and consultation to maintain peace and stability,” the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson highlighted that China has been working with both previous and the current Philippine administrations to find pragmatic ways to effectively manage the situation at Ren’ai Jiao without affecting either country’s principled stance on the dispute. “Thanks to the understandings and agreements reached by the two sides, the overall peace and stability at Ren’ai Jiao was maintained in the past few years,” the spokesperson noted.
However, the spokesperson pointed out that recent difficulties and incidents around Ren’ai Jiao have arisen because prior understandings and agreements were not adhered to. The Chinese side expressed hope that the Philippines would return to dialogue to properly manage the situation and uphold regional stability.
Ren’ai Jiao, a disputed area in the South China Sea, has been a point of contention between China and the Philippines. Both nations claim sovereignty over the area, which is strategically significant and believed to be rich in resources.
The Chinese Embassy’s call reflects a desire to resolve disputes through diplomatic channels and avoid escalation. The embassy emphasized the need for both nations to work together to maintain peace and stability in the region, highlighting the broader importance of cooperation in the South China Sea.
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China urges the Philippines to return to dialogue on Ren'ai Jiao issue
cgtn.com
