During a media briefing, Yasay and Kishida agreed that the rule of law must prevail to peacefully resolve the maritime dispute in the South China Sea.
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DAVAO CITY-The Japanese government’s continuing assistance to the Philippines will include a subway station connecting Metro Manila, Tutuban and Malolos, Bulacan, Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida told Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay.
Ramos, who was the president of the Philippines between 1992 and 1998 when China occupied the submerged Mischief Reef, also confirmed that his talks with Fu did not include maritime rights in the disputed South China Sea.
The launch of the new satellite coincides with China adopting an aggressive posture on the South China Sea following an worldwide tribunal’s ruling in July that Beijing doesn’t have historical rights over the region.
At the forum, Carpio also pitched the idea that the disputed area in the South China Sea could be transformed into a protected area for marine life jointly managed by all relevant claimant states. The Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Taiwan have also staked claims in the waters.
China says it has “indisputable sovereignty” over the area it claims and has refused to recognize the court ruling on a case brought by the Philippines.
China, however, maintained that it will not acknowledge the ruling.
About 230 Chinese fishing vessels and seven coast guard ships, including four apparently carrying weapons, sailed into waters close to the disputed islands on Sunday.
“We have the same experience in the East China Sea and the South China Sea with respect to certain actions that use force, intimidation, provocation in order to assert one’s claim over a particular territory”, said Yasay.
Reuters reported this week that Vietnam had discreetly fortified several of its islands in the South China Sea with new mobile rocket launchers.
He said that Japan will continue to support the Philippines through their concentrated assistance for Mindanao including infrastructure and agricultural development.
At a news conference after the meeting, Yasay said acts of intimidation are not permitted under global law.
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“We have asked the Philippines charge to come into the State Department to clarify those remarks”, State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said. While this “win-win scenario” is unlikely, the Philippines is now considering pursuing peaceful relations with China.
