Inihayag ng Chinese Ministry of National Defense (MND) na nais nitong isulong ang pakikipag-ugnayang militar sa Pilipinas.
Ayon kay Colonel Wu Qian, tagapagsalita ng Ministry of National Defense (MND) ng People’s Republic of China (PRC), umaasa siya na maisusulong at mapatatatag ang military-to-military relationship ng China at Pilipinas.
“If you want me to make comments on the recent China-Philippines military-to-military relationship, I’d like to say that the relationship seemed to be going nowhere, but we expect to find a way forward,” sinabi niya sa press briefing sa Ministry nitong Oktubre 27.
Binigyang-pansin ni Wu na, “the healthy and stable development of the military-to-military relationship between China and the Philippines accords with the fundamental interests of the people of the two countries, and are conducive to regional peace and stability.”
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Nangako siya na pinahahalagahan ng Chinese military ang “consensus” na natamo nina President Xi Jinping at President Duterte nang bumisita ang huli sa Beijing noong nakaraang buwan.
“The armed forces of the two countries will earnestly implement the important consensuses reached between President Xi Jinping and President Duterte, remove obstacles, manage disputes, accumulate mutual trust and strengthen exchanges and cooperation, so as to make positive contributions to the development of bilateral relations,” wika ni Wu.
Bilang tugon sa pahayag ng Chinese Ministry of Defense, nilinaw naman ni Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto “Jun” Yasay na “we do not have military alliance with China.”
Sinabi rin niya na ang pakikipag-alyansang militar sa China ay wala sa radar ng gobyerno ng Pilipinas.
“What we are trying to foster is the kind of security arrangement that will make sure freedom of navigation and there will be mutual response in any rescue or distress needs or calls coming from people, from our fishermen who might be caught up in storm or any other calamity, and make sure that we have an exchange of information to address illegal drug trade and piracy,” sabi ni Yasay. (Charissa M. Luci)
