Philippines ‘still asserts South China Sea rights’

MANILA:

The Philippines will keep asserting its rights in the South China Sea after it reached a “provisional arrangement” with China about its resupply missions to the contested Second Thomas Shoal, the foreign ministry said on Monday.

While neither the Chinese foreign ministry nor the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) provided details of the arrangement, Manila said it “will not prejudice our respective national positions”.

“In our desire to de-escalate the situation in the South China Sea to manage differences in a peaceful manner, we emphasize that the agreement was done in good faith and the Philippines remains ready to implement it,” the DFA said in a statement.

“We urge China to do the same.” The Chinese foreign ministry confirmed the “temporary arrangement” with the two sides agreeing to jointly manage maritime differences and de-escalate the situation.

“Between now and when the warship is towed away, should the Philippines need to send living necessities to the personnel living on the warship, China is willing to allow it in a humanitarian spirit if the Philippines informs China in advance and after on-site verification is conducted,” it said in a statement.

Washington welcomed diplomatic efforts to deescalate tensions in the South China Sea, Assistant Secretary of State Dan Kritenbrink told reporters. “I think the key now from our vantage will be to ensure that it is implemented number one, and number two that China’s ceases its provocative and destabilizing activities around Second Thomas Shoal that we’ve seen in recent weeks,” he said.

“The principles and approaches laid out in the agreement were reached through a series of careful and meticulous consultations between both sides that paved the way for a convergence of ideas without compromising national positions,” the Philippines’ DFA said.