Hontiveros raises China’s aggression in PH waters with Taiwan president
Senator Risa Hontiveros meets Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen at the latter’s residence in Taipei City on May 12, 2023. Friday.Photos c/o Sen. Hontiveros’ office
MANILA, Philippines — The issue of China’s continued threats and harassment of Filipinos in Philippine waters was raised when opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros met with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen at the latter’s residence in Taipei City on Friday.
Hontiveros said her meeting with Tsai was part of her efforts “to lead legislative proposals that seek to promote peace in the region.”
READ: Hontiveros calls for review of PH policy on China
Photo c/o of Sen. Hontiveros’ office
It was also meant “to strengthen security, economic, and labor relations in the region amid China’s aggression in the West Philippine Sea and the entire South China Sea,” the senator said.
“While I am here in Taiwan to particularly check on the overseas Filipino workers who were threatened by the Chinese Ambassador’s dangerous statements, I cannot help but raise an urgent issue that looms large over the Philippines – the external threat posed by China in our territories, a similar dilemma Taiwan also faces,” Hontiveros said in a statement.
Photo c/o of Sen. Hontiveros’ office
During their tete-a-tete, she said she shared that “China’s intimidation, threats, and harassment are a daily occurrence that Filipino fisherfolk and Philippine Coast Guard personnel experience and noted how the tensions in the country’s own seas have affected the livelihood of local fishermen.
“Like President Tsai, I would like a peaceful approach to the South China Sea question,” Hontiveros pointed out in her opening statement.
“I will work on taking tangible steps in the Philippine legislature to ensure that we successfully discuss and conduct diplomatic, legal, and respectful negotiations with all States concerned to advance peace and stability in the entire South China Sea,” she continued.
Hontiveros likewise emphasized that the Philippines will not meddle with the issue of Taiwanese independence, recognizing their “basic human right to self-determination.”
“While we in the Philippines will never interfere with the issue of your independence, I will always support nations who err on the side of democracy. We know that democracy is a powerful vaccine against armed conflict, as it requires fostering peaceful relations among citizens. When carried into the realm of foreign policy, this will result in peaceful international relations not only among our nations, but also across the world,” she told Tsai.
“Peace is necessary for the safety and security of all our citizens. Peace is essential for our economies to survive and thrive. Peace is our only option. With the continued and strengthened ties between the Philippines and Taiwan, I trust that true and lasting peace will reign,” the senator also said.
Photo c/o of Sen. Hontiveros’ office
On Thursday, Hontiveros also met with Taiwan Foreign Minister Dr. Jaushieh Joseph Wu in Taipei City to reaffirm her commitment to a peaceful resolution in the West Philippine Sea and the entire South China Sea.
“Unlike China, who has been employing tactics that employ force short of war, we can genuinely and diplomatically engage with Taiwan in order to resolve territorial disputes in the South China Sea. Taiwan has been a good and responsible friend to the Philippines, and in the face of a common bully, friends tend to stick with each other,” she said.
The senator promised “to continually work with nations such as Taiwan with whom we share the same values of freedom and democracy, to uphold and maintain the relative peace our region has so far enjoyed.”
During their meeting, she said she and the foreign minister both agreed that there is a need to strengthen international relations among various democratic nations in order to resist China’s aggressive actions.
“While the Philippines does not yet have official diplomatic ties with Taiwan, constant cooperation is needed as both countries confront similar challenges, from cybersecurity to climate change,” she said, “It is also in the interest of our country to deepen people to people exchanges with Taiwan, whether through tourism or overseas employment.”
Hontiveros’ visit to Taipei came after the supposed warning from Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian last month to overseas Filipino workers in Taiwan if Manila would not oppose the independence of the island nation being claimed by Beijing.
But the Chinese embassy later clarified that the ambassador’s remarks were just taken out of context.
“Unfortunately, some misquoted or misinterpreted Ambassador Huang’s remarks or simply took part of the Ambassador’s words out of context,” the embassy said.
