FOLLOWING the recent close collision of the Philippines and Chinese ships in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. called for the adoption of the country’s “direct communication line” with Beijing.
In an interview on board Flight PR 001 en route to Washington D.C., President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. disclosed the proposed “High-level Communication” is still not operational.
He noted the government has already completed its team of contact persons for the said purpose and submitted the names of its members and their contract details to Chinese authorities.
However, the President said China has yet to reciprocate the said move.
“The [high level communication lines] is still incomplete. We’re waiting for China to give details, who will be the team at their end,” Marcos said.
“They agree [with the direct communication]—they’re working on it,” he added.
He stressed the importance of establishing the communication lines to prevent possible misunderstanding between Philippine and Chinese forces in the WPS such as the near-collision in the Ayungin Shoal last month.
Both the Philippine Coast Guard and the China Coast Guard exchanged blame on which party is responsible for the incident.
“And that’s exactly what we want to avoid, that is why I am imposing on them that we should establish high level communication,” Marcos said.
The proposed direct communication line was first announced during Marcos’s visit to Beijing last January.
Another measure, Marcos said, which the government is considering to prevent further tension in the WPS is to come out with a Philippine fishing grounds map.
“I’ve asked the Coast Guard and the DFA to put together perhaps a map of these fishing grounds that —we will give them, these [areas are part] of the Philippines and we’ll see what they say when we give them our proposal,” Marcos said.