Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 12) — Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jinhua assured government that the Chinese coast guards involved in the incident with Filipino fishermen near Scarborough Shoal will be punished.
"We will check if there's any misconduct conducted by the Chinese Coast guard. Those individuals will be punished, and the rules will be there," Zhao told reporters in Kawit, Cavite.
Zhao talked to President Rodrigo Duterte minutes before the flag-raising ceremony to celebrate the country's 120th Independence Day.
The Chinese envoy said Beijing's coast guard personnel are disciplined in accordance to their laws.
"We do not allow Chinese coast guards to do anything that is harmful to the Filipino fishermen," he said.
Zhao also reminded that local fishermen may fish in the area freely, despite a video released last week which supposedly showed members of the Chinese Coast Guard taking away over P4,000 worth of fish caught by Filipino fishermen in the disputed territory.
"The friendly arrangement allowed fishermen to fish in the waters around Huangyan Dao or Scarborough is (not) going to be changed. It will not be changed. That means they can go back and fish there freely," Zhao said.
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang said the concerned departments will handle the issue.
"(The) Chinese side is now conducting an investigation seriously. If what the Philippine side claimed is true, I believe relevant Chinese departments will handle that in a serious manner," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng said in a press briefing Monday.
Beijing's Foreign Ministry added they have made "appropriate arrangement(s)" with the Philippine fishermen to fish in relevant waters "out of goodwill".
Manila and Beijing have been engaged in a diplomatic row over the Scarborough Shoal, among other contested islands and features in the South China Sea. China has refused to observe a 2016 ruling from an international tribunal favoring the Philippines' claims over features within its 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone, including Scarborough.
Despite this, Geng said ties between the two countries are taking an upward trend.
"At this point, the China-Philippines friendly relations have taken on a positive trend, and China has a clear and firm determination to commit itself to consolidating and strengthening China-Philippines relations," he said.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Monday said the Philippines will leave it up to China to address the issue, but has kept mum on whether government will file a diplomatic protest against the East Asian country.
Vice President Leni Robredo and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana called on to file the protest.
But Senate President Tito Sotto said the Philippines must employ friendlier strategies with all nations.
"No country wants to go to war, that is why we are exhausting all possible means to avoid it from happening," he said in a Monday statement. "I appeal to the media and our countrymen not to swallow everything the doom sayers say."
"We will check if there's any misconduct conducted by the Chinese Coast guard. Those individuals will be punished, and the rules will be there," Zhao told reporters in Kawit, Cavite.
Zhao talked to President Rodrigo Duterte minutes before the flag-raising ceremony to celebrate the country's 120th Independence Day.
The Chinese envoy said Beijing's coast guard personnel are disciplined in accordance to their laws.
"We do not allow Chinese coast guards to do anything that is harmful to the Filipino fishermen," he said.
Zhao also reminded that local fishermen may fish in the area freely, despite a video released last week which supposedly showed members of the Chinese Coast Guard taking away over P4,000 worth of fish caught by Filipino fishermen in the disputed territory.
"The friendly arrangement allowed fishermen to fish in the waters around Huangyan Dao or Scarborough is (not) going to be changed. It will not be changed. That means they can go back and fish there freely," Zhao said.
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang said the concerned departments will handle the issue.
"(The) Chinese side is now conducting an investigation seriously. If what the Philippine side claimed is true, I believe relevant Chinese departments will handle that in a serious manner," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng said in a press briefing Monday.
Beijing's Foreign Ministry added they have made "appropriate arrangement(s)" with the Philippine fishermen to fish in relevant waters "out of goodwill".
Manila and Beijing have been engaged in a diplomatic row over the Scarborough Shoal, among other contested islands and features in the South China Sea. China has refused to observe a 2016 ruling from an international tribunal favoring the Philippines' claims over features within its 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone, including Scarborough.
Despite this, Geng said ties between the two countries are taking an upward trend.
"At this point, the China-Philippines friendly relations have taken on a positive trend, and China has a clear and firm determination to commit itself to consolidating and strengthening China-Philippines relations," he said.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Monday said the Philippines will leave it up to China to address the issue, but has kept mum on whether government will file a diplomatic protest against the East Asian country.
Vice President Leni Robredo and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana called on to file the protest.
But Senate President Tito Sotto said the Philippines must employ friendlier strategies with all nations.
"No country wants to go to war, that is why we are exhausting all possible means to avoid it from happening," he said in a Monday statement. "I appeal to the media and our countrymen not to swallow everything the doom sayers say."
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