Palace relying on China’s ‘good faith’ in not reclaiming disputed shoal

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque answers question in a briefing held at Malacañang New Executive bldg, November 6, 2017.
INQUIRER PHOTO/JOAN BONDOC

Malacañang is relying on China’s “good faith” that it would not reclaim new land in the disputed South China Sea following the launch of its massive ship called “magic island maker.”

“The President recognizes the principle of good faith in international relations. China has told the President, they do not intend to reclaim Scarborough and we leave it at that,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a Palace briefing on Tuesday.

“We need to rely on good faith because otherwise there would be no predictability in international relations,” Roque added.

Asked whether President Rodrigo Duterte would raise the issue with his Chinese counterparts, he said the President “has relied completely on the principle of good faith, which is, in fact, a fundamental and cardinal principle of international law.”

Roque said it was not only trusting China on its good faith since the Philippines has already scored a victory on its diplomatic protest against China before United Nations-backed arbitral tribunal at the Hague.

“We’re not just trusting. We have a decision, the last time I checked. And that decision remains unchanged,” he said.

Despite the Philippines and China’s maritime dispute, Roque said these would not affect the relations of the two countries.

“The President has opted to maintain very close and cordial relationship with China,” he said.

“I think, we are seeing new heights in terms of Philippine-Chinese relations and it has resulted in very tangible results particularly economic investments,” he added. /je