MANILA — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. declared on Wednesday there are some sorts of a middle ground with China to ensure peace and stability in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
“Yes, of course, there are,” President Marcos told the Philippine media delegation in Brunei when asked if there are meetings or backchannel efforts to resolve WPS issues.
The President said the government is exhausting all remedies to bring progress in resolving the issues — to stop China’s aggressive actions and to allow Filipinos to fish in WPS.
He said the government is trying mechanisms that will work for the Philippines.
“I’ve said it many times. You should try everything. You don’t know what effort is going to be successful. So, as any point of contact that I can establish I will use it. And at every level, at the leaders’ level, at the ministerial, sub-ministerial, private,” President Marcos said.
“As long as it gives us, brings us progress in terms of resolving these. And you know, first of all, number one, to stop the aggressive actions such as water-cannoning and lasers and barrier putting etcetera. And secondly, allowing our fishermen to fish. Let’s start with that,” he added.
The President said the Philippines can embark on the next step — “to see if there is a way to resolve all these claims” and to go back to peaceful ways between the Philippines and China “and continue to try and develop” the relationship of the two countries.
“There are always, always efforts at every level,” he added. (PND)
