China lacks ability for open, transparent, and legal negotiations: DND
The Department of National Defense (DND) highlighted the Chinese government's inability "to conduct open, transparent, and legal negotiations" to address the tension in the West Philippine Sea.
"China’s defense ministry statement clearly reflects their isolation from the rest of the world on their illegal and uncivilized activities in the West Philippine Sea," Arsenio Andolong, DND spokesman said on Friday.
"It also shows the inability of the Chinese Government to conduct open, transparent, and legal negotiations. Their repertoire consists only of patronizing and, failing that, intimidating smaller countries," he added.
Andolong said "the world has seen and knows that the Filipino people are not aggressors."
"We will never seek a fight or trouble. Neither will we be cowed into silence, submission, or subservience. We do not yield. We are Filipinos," he said.
In a statement on Thursday, Chinese Ministry of National Defense spokesperson Wu Qian warned that the Philippines is going down on a dangerous part as he blamed the Philippines and the United States for the continued tensions in the West Philippine Sea.
“The Philippines’ harassment and provocations are the immediate cause of the recent escalation of the South China Sea issue,” he said.
“Counting on the support of external forces, the Philippine side violated international law and the spirit of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, frequently infringed upon China’s sovereignty, made provocations and created troubles, and spread misinformation to mislead the international community,” he added. Robina Asido/DMS
