Bongbong Marcos: Deadline for fishing right talks with China is only when it’s done

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Tuesday said he will not impose a deadline on the talks with China about fishing grounds in the West Philippine Sea.

Marcos said he already spoken with Chinese ambassador Huang Xilian about the matter and both parties have agreed to “map” the fishing grounds.

“The deadline is only when it’s done,  because if you set a deadline and it’s not done, then it doesn’t help anything. So you just keep going. Keep going as hard as you can, as much as you can, until you get an agreement on the fishing grounds,” he said in an interview in Indonesia.

Marcos earlier said he has directed the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Philippine Coast Guard to identify and create a map of the Philippines’ fishing grounds in the West Philippine Sea.

Code of Conduct

The President said he would continue to push for the Code of Conduct on the South China Sea during the 42nd Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).

He said tension in the region would not be dissipate if there is Code of Conduct.

“You cannot stop trying so yes I will bring that up again. Because when we talk about the issues in the West Philippine Sea, in the South China Sea, hindi magkakalma iyan hanggang wala tayong code of conduct,” Marcos said.

“Kapag may Code of Conduct lahat susunod. That makes things clearer, walang possibility na magkamali kasi maliwanag na maliwanag dapat ang usapan,” he added.

(If there is a Code of Conduct, everyone would follow. That makes things clearer, there is no possibility of making a mistake since the discussions should be very clear.)

“So yes, that has always for me, been the key element, in the Asean centrality solution to this problem, is really the new code of conduct. Paulit ko ulit ko sinasabi, in every forum I can find sinasabi ko na ang code of conduct kailangan natin tapusin,” Marcos continued.

(I have repeatedly said in every forum that we need to finish the Code of Conduct.)

Marcos is in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia to attend the 42nd Summit of the Asean.

JPV