Philippine, China foreign affairs officials meet in Xiamen Thursday
Philippine and Chinese foreign affairs officials will hold a bilateral consultation mechanism in Xiamen on following calls of the National Security Council (NSC) to withdraw China's ''Monster'' ship within the country's exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea.
At the sideline of his bilateral meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya in Taguig City on Wednesday, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said the Philippine delegation headed by Undersecretary for Bilateral Relations and ASEAN Affairs Ma. Theresa Lazaro is preparing for the resumption of bilateral talks with China.
When asked if the Philippine delegates will raise concern over the presence of China's ''Monster'' ship near the province of Zambales, Manalo noted that "those are what is normally discussed in the bilateral consultation, especially recent developments or ongoing developments."
"They will of course be discussing the situation in the region, the South China Sea, the West Philippine Sea, including the recent developments, and of course other issues which have been under discussion for some time which are aimed at seeing how we can cooperate in certain areas such as in the environment and possible cooperation between the Coast Guards, the Philippines, and China," he said
"We hope to establish means of cooperation and undertaking, let's say, positive activities. But that will have to be agreed in any memorandum of understanding between the two. But it's cooperative in nature, of course.
Following the continued presence of China Coast Guard vessels around the waters of Bajo de Masinloc near the province of Zambales, the NSC called for the withdrawal of the Monster ship in a press conference on Tuesday.
The National Maritime Council (NMC) also announced the filing of diplomatic protest to counter China Coast Guard's illegal presence and actions in the West Philippine Sea. Robina Asido/DMS
