Beijing – China has refuted the Philippine government's denial of existing agreements concerning the management of the Ren'ai Jiao issue in the South China Sea. In a statement released on Saturday, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines emphasized that China has been committed to resolving maritime differences through dialogue and consultation, citing the “gentlemen's agreement” as a concrete outcome of these efforts.
“China has always been dedicated to properly managing maritime differences with the Philippines,” the embassy spokesperson stated. “The 'gentlemen's agreement' is a tangible result of our relentless efforts to promote dialogue and consultation.”
The spokesperson's remarks come in response to recent statements by senior Philippine officials denying any negotiated agreements with China over Ren'ai Jiao since President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. took office. Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. declared last week that the Department of National Defense (DND) has not entered into any internal agreements with China regarding Ren'ai Jiao and has had no contact with Chinese government officials since last year.
Contradicting these claims, the Chinese Embassy's spokesperson revealed that early this year, China and the Philippines, through the Armed Forces of the Philippines' Western Command (AFP WESCOM), agreed on a “new model” for managing the situation at Ren'ai Jiao after multiple rounds of discussions. “During the discussions, AFP WESCOM repeatedly confirmed that the 'new model' had been approved by all key officials in the Philippine chain of command, including the Secretary of National Defense and the National Security Advisor,” the spokesperson said, adding that detailed records of the communications are maintained by the Chinese side.
The spokesperson explained that the “gentlemen's agreement” or the “new model” is a confidence-building measure aimed at managing disputes, avoiding conflicts, and maintaining peace, without affecting each side's sovereign positions. “Thanks to the 'new model,' front-liners of both sides had guidance on how to interact, which allowed for a smooth resupply mission on February 2,” the spokesperson noted. The AFP had described this resupply mission as “flawless” on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on the same day.
The Chinese Embassy also highlighted previous high-level exchanges, noting that Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines met with Secretary Teodoro on July 5, 2023, to discuss China-Philippines military relations and maritime issues. During this meeting, the Philippine side was briefed on the “gentlemen's agreement” regarding Ren'ai Jiao. “Readouts of the meeting were released respectively by the DND and the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines,” the spokesperson pointed out.
“The above are facts, not narratives or inventions,” the spokesperson asserted. “China remains committed to managing the situation at Ren'ai Jiao responsibly and maintaining dialogue and communication with the Philippines.”
The spokesperson expressed regret that despite internal understandings and arrangements, peace and tranquility at Ren'ai Jiao have been disrupted repeatedly. “It is regrettable that despite the internal understandings and arrangements, peace and tranquility were disrupted again and again at Ren'ai Jiao,” the spokesperson added.
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China refutes Philippine government's denial of Ren'ai Jiao agreements
cgtn.com
