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Chinese flags wave with Philippine flags along Roxas Boulevard in Manila on November 19, ahead of Chinese president Xi Jinping's state visit in the country. Xi will be visiting the country from November 20 to 21. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

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Flying the Chinese flag

Michael Delizo

ABS-CBN News

<div><span dir="ltr" id="isPasted"></span></div><p>MANILA — A maritime law expert on Sunday said the Philippines should expel Chinese diplomats in Manila to make room for a fresh dialogue, as the Philippine government seemingly tries to de-escalate the tensions after it described China Coast Guard’s (CCG) recent hostility in the West Philippine Sea as an accident and misunderstanding, and not an armed attack.</p><p>In a media interview,  Prof. Jay Batongbacal, director of the University of the Philippines Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea, said Manila is making a deliberate effort to still seek a diplomatic and peaceful resolution to the dispute.</p><p>He noted though that the current Chinese Embassy officials have not been helpful in bringing Manila-Beijing relations together and even contributed to the distrust and aggravated the issues.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/23/american-analyst-cautions-against-calling-ayungin-incident-an-accident-1347" id="isPasted">READ: American analyst cautions against calling Ayungin incident an accident</a></div><p>“The defense attaché, the coast guard attaché — it’s their job to open the lines of communication and make sure that things like this don’t happen and from there, we will proceed. I think it would only be proper kasi nga hindi naman puwedeng walang consequence ‘yong ginawa nila,” he said.</p><p>In a press briefing in Beijing, China’s ministry of foreign affairs called on the Philippines to properly manage disputes through dialogue and consultation as soon as possible.</p><p>“We urge the Philippines to stop making provocations and infringing on China’s sovereignty at once, and return to the right track of properly managing disputes through dialogue and consultation as soon as possible,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Friday.</p><p>Batongbacal, however, said if China wants to start fresh, it should replace its Chinese representatives to the Philippines.</p><p>“We cannot speak to China through them because there is absolutely no trust with respect to that staff,” he said.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/23/marcos-ph-won-t-instigate-wars-nor-yield-to-any-foreign-power-1135" id="isPasted">READ: Marcos: PH won&#x27;t instigate wars nor yield to any foreign power</a></div><div><strong>COUNCIL MOVES TO DE-ESCALATE </strong></div><p>Earlier, the National Maritime Council said it does not consider the CCG’s actions against Philippine troops in Ayungin Shoal on June 17 an armed attack, saying that the incident was “probably a misunderstanding or an accident.”</p><p>The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) previously condemned the “coercive, aggressive, and barbaric actions” of the CCG as they “hijacked” the Philippines’ rotation and reprovisioning (RORE) mission at the BRP Sierra Madre, resulting in damage and severe injury of a Navy officer, who lost his right thumb. </p><p>Videos and pictures of the confrontation released by the AFP showed CCG personnel &quot;brandishing bladed and pointed weapons threatening to injure AFP troops” and “threatening to injure an AFP soldier with a pickaxe.&quot;</p><p>Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who is also the chair of the National Maritime Council, reiterated that Manila is willing to work with China to resolve the maritime row.</p><p>He added the matter could easily be resolved if only China would also be willing to cooperate.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/19/afp-releases-photos-of-china-coast-guard-s-barbaric-actions-in-ayungin-2137" id="isPasted">READ: AFP releases photos of China Coast Guard&#x27;s &#x27;barbaric actions&#x27; in Ayungin</a></div><p>Meanwhile, Danilo Arao of the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication does not see any problem with Bersamin’s recommendation to publicize the schedule for the next RORE mission.</p><p>He said the transparency is for the benefit of the media and the international community, and not necessarily to ask permission from China to conduct such activity.</p><p>“Dapat para sa publiko ‘yan, partikular para sa media na gustong mag-cover. And hopefully, other countries may follow suit. They may be aware of such things,” he said in a media briefing on Sunday.</p><p>“It’s meant for the public, it’s not meant for China. Dito mahalaga ‘yong communication processes ng ating public information system,” he added.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><br/></div><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/UmyPZWqwadQ?&amp;t=2s&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>A maritime law expert on Sunday said the Philippines should expel Chinese diplomats in Manila to make room for a fresh dialogue, as the Philippine government seemingly tries to de-escalate tensions.</p>

A maritime law expert on Sunday said the Philippines should expel Chinese diplomats in Manila to make room for a fresh dialogue, as the Philippine government seemingly tries to de-escalate tensions.

Expert urges Philippines to expel Chinese diplomats for fresh talks

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Expert urges Philippines to expel Chinese diplomats for fresh talks

Michael Delizo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 23, 2024 04:17 PM PHT

Read More:

Chinese Embassy

Jay Batongbacal

Danilo Arao

South China Sea

West Philippine Sea

Ayungin Shoal

Second Thomas Shoal

BRP Sierra Madre

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