China says it may invite reporters to disputed isles

China’s Foreign Ministry said the situation in the South China Sea remained “stable on the whole” and it was considering inviting foreign journalists to see for themselves the islands and reefs on which it has built runways and other facilities.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei quoted Foreign Minister Wang Yi as saying that “when the condition is ripe, we will consider inviting foreign journalists to visit the islands and reefs.”

This as the decision comes due of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in the case filed by the Philippines questioning China’s sweeping territorial claims and massive military buildup in contested islands in the South China Sea.

Hong, however, expressed concern over the joint military exercise being conducted by the Philippines and the United States in waters abutting the South China Sea.

“We hope the military-to-military cooperation between relevant countries can promote regional peace, stability and development instead of the contrary,” Hong said in a press conference in Beijing on Friday, a transcript of which was posted on the foreign ministry’s website.

Resolving disputes

He said that while China was resolute about safeguarding its sovereign and relevant rights in the South China Sea, “we are committed to resolving relevant disputes through dialogue and negotiation and jointly maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea with the Asean countries.”

China has said it would deal with the Philippines only in a bilateral dialogue to resolve their territorial disputes in the South China Sea, which the Philippines calls the West Philippine Sea.

The Philippines, however, is not keen on restarting bilateral talks with China anytime soon following the latter’s continuous massive military buildup on the disputed islands, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

DFA spokesperson Charles Jose said the last high-level meeting between the Philippines and China occurred during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Leaders Summit hosted by the Philippines in November 2015. This was at the level of then Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario and Foreign Minister Wang of China.

Chinese President Xi Jinping was at the Apec summit in Manila but he and President Aquino did not meet. The last time the two held bilateral talks was during Beijing’s hosting of the Apec Leaders Summit in November 2014.

A senior Filipino diplomat who is an expert on maritime affairs said that resuming bilateral talks with China “is very remote” due to Beijing’s aggressive behavior in the South China Sea.

Basis for negotiation

The diplomat who requested anonymity said the Philippines is willing to hold bilateral talks with China once the arbitral tribunal renders its decision and China agrees to abide by it.

“The arbitration court’s ruling should be the basis for the negotiations of the code of conduct between China and Asean,” the official told the Inquirer. “The ruling (on arbitration) is a way forward … that’s when we start bilateral negotiations with China.”

Foreign Minister Wang earlier admitted that “for obvious reasons, current China-Philippines relations are at their lowest ebb since the establishment of diplomatic relations 40 years ago.”

“This is not what the Chinese side wants to see. China is ready, through dialogue and consultation, to discuss and resolve all factors affecting the normal development of China-Philippines relations, including the maritime issue. China’s door for dialogue is always open, and there is no such problem that bilateral dialogues have come to an end,” Wang had said in a statement last November.