Diplomacy, not force, best way to deal with China – Enrile

Former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile (File photo from Philippine Daily Inquirer)

“The only option we have is to talk to China since they are willing to talk to us.”

This is the stand of former Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile on the joint oil and gas exploration agreement between the Philippines and China.

“We have only two options on this matter, either we use diplomacy, talk to China or use force. What force do we have to deal with China, we do not have,” Enrile said during a televised senatorial forum staged by CNN Philippines on Sunday.

Enrile said that “instead of using emotion or braggadocio or whatever or politics” it would be best to engage China in talks and establish the terms and conditions on the joint oil and gas exploration to ensure a “beneficial good” for Filipinos.

“The only option we have is to talk to China since they are willing to talk to us and then we talk about the terms and conditions of the exploration of natural gas and oil in the West Philippine Sea for the benefit of the Filipino people instead of using emotion or braggadocio or whatever or politics in order to thwart a possible beneficial good that will come to the Filipino through an exploration of natural wealth in the South China Sea,” he said.

Last Nov. 20, the Philippines and China signed a memorandum of understanding on the joint oil and gas development in the West Philippine Sea during the two-day state visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

READ: PH, China sign MOU on oil and gas development, 28 other deals

/atm