RP NO INTENTION TO MEDDLE IN THE TAIWAN ISSUE - AÑO
Dateline Kamuning:
The following is the full statement of the National
Security Council (NSC) regarding the statement made by Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Ambassador Huang Xilian in a forum recently.
Here's the full text:
The National Security Council wishes to clarify that the
Philippines has no intention of interfering in the Taiwan issue and will not
allow itself to be used by other countries to interfere in the said issue as
claimed by the Chinese Ambassador in the Philippines in a forum in Manila.
National Security Adviser Eduardo M. Año has made our
position clear that the increased security cooperation between the Philippines
and the United States is meant to develop and strengthen the capabilities of
the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to enable it to protect and defend
the territory of the Philippines and is not meant to contain or counter any
nation in the region or to interfere in another nation’s affairs.
The Philippines is primarily concerned about improving
its defense capability, modernizing our equipment and assets, and developing
our infrastructure. These are the primary reasons why we are increasing our
security cooperation with the United States under the 72-year old Mutual
Defense Treaty between our two (2) countries.
In a meeting with the Chinese Ambassador earlier this
week, Secretary Año personally assured the Chinese Ambassador that the
additional EDCA sites are not meant for offensive operations against China or
for interference in the Taiwan issue but instead are meant to protect the
territorial integrity of the country. He assured the Chinese Ambassador that
the Philippines is for the peaceful resolution of the Taiwan issue and for the
continued stability of the region.
During the Chinese Ambassador’s call at the National
Security Council, Secretary Año also explained that the choice of the EDCA
sites is in accordance with the Strategic Basing Plan of the Armed Forces of
the Philippines. The identified EDCA sites are Philippine bases which we want
to further develop based on the requirements for strategic basing and
development of the AFP. These were not US-dictated but identified by our armed
forces.
The development of these Philippine bases will enable the
government to further strengthen the AFP to enable it to defend and protect the
country. By developing our military and base infrastructure, we are pursuing
our national interest and actually contributing to regional peace and
stability.
We hope that the Peoples Republic of China will see this
as the country’s positive contribution towards peace and stability in the
region.
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