DESPITE the plea of President Rodrigo Duterte, Malacañang remains uncertain if China would allow Filipino fishermen to fish at the disputed waters.
“Maybe the best thing to do is just test the waters,” presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said in a press briefing on Tuesday.
Abella earlier told Filipino fishermen who have been harassed by Chinese coastguard to “proceed with caution” in fishing at the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).
During his speech at the National Heroes’ Day in Taguig City on Monday, the President urged China to consider the plight of poor Filipino fishermen and allow them to fish in the disputed waters.
“That’s exactly one of the things na inilapit yata ng Presidente – to treat our people not as enemies; let us not be adversaries but instead [let’s be] friends, parang ganon; to allow them to be able to fish,” Abella said.
In reaction, Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jinhua told reporters in an interview: “I do not know the situation on the sea but we are looking on the possibility.”
Abella said the statement of the Chinese envoy was “a window of opportunity.”
“There may be kinks in the relationship but there is a positive opening,” he said.
Duterte has repeatedly said that bilateral talks with China on the country’s territorial claims on the West Philippine Sea should be based on the ruling of the United Nations arbitral tribunal, which favors the Philippines’ claims.