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Philippines foreign minister urges China: 'Stop harassing us'

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1709541457395.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">A Chinese Coast Guard vessel sprays water cannons at a Philippine Coast Guard boat delivering supplies to military troops stationed at the Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas Shoal) in the West Philippine Sea on Aug. 5, 2023. <strong id="isPasted"><em>Photo courtesy of Philippine Coast Guard/Facebook</em></strong><br/></span></span></span></div><p>MELBOURNE, Australia - Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo told AFP on Monday that his country wants to solve maritime disputes with China peacefully -- but delivered a simple message to Beijing: &quot;stop harassing us&quot;.</p><p>Speaking on the sidelines of an ASEAN-Australia summit in Melbourne, Manalo defended his government&#x27;s policy of publicizing Chinese manoeuvres in contested maritime territory -- including the recent passage of warships near Scarborough Shoal.</p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s merely trying to inform the people of what&#x27;s going on,&quot; Manalo said. &quot;And some countries or one country at least has some difficulty with that.&quot;</p><p>&quot;But our simple explanation is if you would stop harassing us and, and perhaps performing other actions, there wouldn&#x27;t be any news to report.&quot;</p><div><ivs-player data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-vid="2971492"></ivs-player></div><script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script><p>China claims almost the entire South China Sea as its territory, brushing aside claims from a host of Southeast Asian nations.</p><div><ivs-player data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-vid="2751211"></ivs-player></div><script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script><p>Scarborough Shoal -- a triangular chain of reefs and rocks in the disputed South China Sea -- has been a flashpoint between the countries since China seized it from the Philippines in 2012.</p><p>Philippine governments have tried to rally international and regional support to their cause -- with mixed results.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mU8dmMwYRHA?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span>&quot;The Philippines is committed to a peaceful resolution of disputes through diplomatic means, or peaceful means,&quot; Manalo said, while insisting &quot;this will not be done at the expense of our national interest.&quot;</div><p>&quot;We are reaching out to partners in like-minded countries with similar issues and similar concerns.&quot;</p><p>But Manalo acknowledged there were was at least a small question mark over support from the Philippines&#x27; most important security partner -- the United States.</p><p>The two countries are treaty allies, meaning Washington has formally pledged to come to Manila&#x27;s defense in the event of a military conflict.</p><p>Ask about the November election -- which will pit incumbent Joe Biden against Republican firebrand Donald Trump, he said it was a topic of frequent debate behind closed doors.</p><p>&quot;Every country in the world is probably thinking of that, of course. The United States is a major, it&#x27;s a treaty ally of the Philippines. So obviously, any differences or changes in US policy from existing policies would most likely have some kind of effect.&quot;</p><p>&quot;At this stage it&#x27;s fairly difficult to assess how it would happen, or what would happen,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;But all I can say is we are, of course, carefully monitoring the election season in the United States, but I&#x27;ve had talks with many of my other colleagues from other countries, and I think everybody is doing the same.&quot;</p><p>&quot;So certainly all eyes will be riveted on that election this year.&quot;</p><div><em>al-arb/djw/mtp</em></div><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div>

<p>Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo told AFP on Monday that his country wants to solve maritime disputes with China peacefully -- but delivered a simple message to Beijing: "stop harassing us".</p>

Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo told AFP on Monday that his country wants to solve maritime disputes with China peacefully -- but delivered a simple message to Beijing: "stop harassing us".