Push Admin

US vice president’s Palawan visit no effect on WPS situation - official

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="US Vice President Kamala Harris waves upon her arrival at the Yokota Air Base, Tokyo suburbs, Japan, Sept. 26, 2022. Jiji Press/EPA-EFE " src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/overseas/09/27/us-vice-president-kamala-harris-epa-9272022.jpg"/><figcaption>US Vice President Kamala Harris waves upon her arrival at the Yokota Air Base, Tokyo suburbs, Japan, Sept. 26, 2022.<em> Jiji Press/EPA-EFE </em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — The upcoming visit of US Vice President Kamala Harris in Palawan province and her tour aboard a Philippine Coast Guard vessel will not affect the situation in the West Philippine Sea where Manila and Beijing have in the past figured in maritime skirmishes as they assert their claims there, a defense official said Thursday.</p><p>The PCG confirmed that Harris will go onboard BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701) at a pier in Puerto Princesa City on Nov. 22 and will be briefed about the agency’s maritime operations in Palawan, the Philippine province closest to the West Philippine Sea, which forms part of the South China Sea.</p><p>PCG spokesman Commodore Armand Balilo said BRP Teresa Magbanua has been deployed in the West Philippine Sea for patrol missions.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/01/22/coast-guard-acquires-its-biggest-multi-role-response-vessel">Coast Guard acquires its biggest multi-role response vessel</a></li></ul><p>Harris will also meet with with residents and civil society leaders while in the city, according to a senior US administration official.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/16/22/harris-to-meet-with-marcos-duterte-during-ph-visit">Harris to meet with Marcos, Duterte during PH visit</a></li></ul><p>“In my opinion, hindi naman kasi (it won’t because) we’ve always had visiting dignitaries from the United sSates who come over anyway from time to time. We don’t see this anything different from that,” Arsenio Andolong, spokesman of the Department of National Defense, said when asked if Harris’ activities in Palawan will affect the situation in the West Philippine Sea amid the lingering territorial dispute there.</p><p>“Saka, ang pupuntahan naman niya ay yung mga residente at saka yung coast guard, which are basically civilians. Civilian agency yung Philippine Coast Guard. So, wala naman kaming nakikita na problema dun,” he added.</p><p>(She will only visit residents and the coast guard, which are basically civilians. The Philippine Coast Guard is a civilian agency. So, we don’t see any problem there.)</p><p>According to the senior US administration official who provided a background briefing on Harris’ trip, her visit in Palawan is historic as she will be the first high ranking US official to ever visit the province. </p><p>It is a demonstration of the Joe Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to the Philippines in upholding the rules-based maritime order in the South China Sea, maritime livelihood, and countering illegal, unregulated, unreported (IUU) fishing, said the official.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/11/14/22/biden-commits-to-asia-pitches-freedom-of-navigation-in-s-china-sea">Biden commits to Asia, pitches freedom of navigation in S. China Sea</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/23/22/biden-reaffirms-us-commitment-to-mutual-defense-treaty">Biden reaffirms &#x27;ironclad&#x27; US commitment to Mutual Defense Treaty</a></li></ul><p>Her remarks in Palawan are expected to underscore international law, unimpeded commerce and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, and the impact of illegal, unregulated, unreported fishing on the coastal economy and livelihood. </p><p>The official said Harris feels strongly about engaging directly with the people “who often don’t interact with high ranking US officials.”</p><p>When she meets with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Nov. 21, Harris “will reaffirm our defense commitment to the Philippines and the importance of our alliance in peace and stability in the South China Sea,” said the official.</p><p>&quot;They will discuss upholding international rules and norms.”</p><p>China has been the most aggressive among the claimants in the South China Sea, building artificial islands and fortifying those with military installations and driving away official and fishing vessels from other countries including the Philippines.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/29/21/philippines-diplomatic-protest-china-west-philippine-sea">Philippines files fresh protest vs China&#x27;s &#x27;incessant&#x27; presence in West PH Sea</a></li></ul><p>It continues to defy a landmark ruling issued in 2016 by the Permanent Court of Arbitration invalidating the basis of its claim to almost the entire South China Sea.</p><p>The Philippines and the US, meanwhile, are bound by a Mutual Defense Treaty forged in 1951.</p><p>Harris will “commit to work more closely with the Philippines to strengthen our economic partnership and investment ties,” according to the background briefing. Deliverables and initiatives related to the digital economy and accelerating transition to clean energy are also expected. </p><p>Defense spokesperson Andolong said Harris has no scheduled engagement with the military.</p><p>Harris will arrive in the Philippines on the evening of Nov. 20, following her participation in the APEC Summit in Thailand.</p><div><strong>- With a report from Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News</strong></div><div><strong> RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2344522" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

The Nov. 22 visit of US Vice President Harris in Palawan and her tour aboard a PCG vessel will not affect the situation in the West Philippine Sea, an official said.