Davos, Switzerland—Aminado si Pangulong Marcos Jr., na hindi siya makatulog sa gabi dahil sa ginagawa ng China sa West Philippine Sea.
“Keeps you up at night, keeps you up in the day, keeps you up most of the time. It’s something… It’s very dynamic. It’s constantly in flux. So you have to pay attention to it and to make sure that you are at least aware of the present situation so that you’re able to respond properly. So it’s — we… In terms of let’s say cross-trade tensions, we are at the very frontline,” kuwento ng Pangulo kay World Economic Forum President Børge Brende.
Ilang beses nang naghain ng protesta ang Pilipinas sa China dahil sa pagiging agresibo nito sa pag-angkin sa ilang lugar sa West Philippine Sea.
Ayon sa Pangulo, nagiging tagapag-masid na lamang ang bansa tuwing may tensyon sa lugar kapag may dumadaan na Chinese o US warships.
“And so whenever these tensions increase, when the ships come out, the Chinese and their Coast Guard vessels, the Americans answer. We are watching as bystanders. If something goes wrong here, we are going to suffer. And that’s why the — when asked what is your foreign policy and how would you describe it, I say, it’s a commitment to peace and a very — very, very close and guided very, very closely by our national interest as I mentioned before,” pahayag ng Pangulo.
Paglilinaw lang ng Punong Ehekutibo wala naman away ang Pilipinas sa China.
Pero ang problema ay ang patuloy na pag-angkin ng China sa mga teritoryo na sakop na ng Pilipinas kahit na mayroon nang desisyon ang Permanent Court of Arbitration.
Sa pagbisita ni Pangulong Marcos sa China kamakailan, nagkasundo sila ni Chinese President Xi jinpin na idaan sa “friendly consultation” ang naturang isyu.
Katunayan sinabi ng Pangulo na nangako si Xi na hindi haharangin ng Chinese Coast Guard ang mga Filipinong mangingisda na papalaot sa West Philippine Sea.