China-PH ‘word war’ may delay South China Sea code – Tulfo

MANILA, Philippines – Senate Committee on Foreign Relations chairman Sen. Erwin Tulfo on Wednesday said the escalation of exchanges between the Chinese Embassy and Philippine officials may delay the approval of the South China Sea Code of Conduct.

Following a meeting with Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Theresa Lazaro, Tulfo said the agency had requested that legislators “tone down personal attacks” when criticizing the foreign embassy’s stand on maritime affairs.

“The resolution, the finalization of the Code of Conduct, has been delayed. It seems to have stalled, to my understanding and based on the explanation of the DFA secretary, because of the rhetoric of the two groups, the slander, it seems to have stalled; the revision of the Code of Conduct has been delayed” Tulfo told the media.

READ: Chinese Embassy fires back: ‘We oppose groundless attacks and smears’

According to Tulfo, he will personally discuss these matters with his Senate colleagues, following the DFA’s request, as there is ongoing dialogue between the cabinet agency and the Chinese embassy regarding the West Philippine Sea.

Additionally, Tulfo said he plans on talking to the National Security Council (NSC)  to avoid adding to the rhetoric.  The NSC previously called the statements of the Chinese Embassy “undiplomatic and uncalled for.”

“I’m not saying we scale down, but I’m saying let’s not add more. What happened before– let’s just leave it like that for now, but maybe let’s not add more” Tulfo said.

Tulfo, citing his discussions with Lazaro, also reasoned that the other claimants of the South China Sea, Malaysia, Brunei, and Vietnam, are also rushing to get the Code of Conduct approved by the end of the year.

READ: China embassy called out over tiff with PH execs

Still, the senator maintained that there is nothing wrong with condemning the public statements of the Chinese embassy, a resolution signed by at least 15 of 24 Senators.

“I don’t see anything wrong with it, that we’re condemning the statements of the Chinese Embassy official… It’s okay that we keep on saying that it’s [the West Philippine Sea] ours… It’s true that we have a claim, right? We can’t keep our mouths shut,” Tulfo continued.

In a series of public statements, Tulfo himself and his fellow lawmakers, Sen. Risa Hontiveros and Sen. Kiko Pangilinan, along with Philippine Coast Guard Spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela, pushed back against the statements of the Chinese embassy in Manila, which echoed China’s claims over the West Philippine Sea and rejected the 2016 Arbitral Award.

The foreign embassy then publicly criticized the government officials after their respective responses to the Chinese embassy’s statements. /dl