PH One China policy stays – DFA chief
Metro Manila, Philippines – The country’s One China policy - which recognizes Beijing as the only Chinese government - stays, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said on Thursday, April 24, despite a recent Malacañang directive easing travel restrictions for some officials to Taiwan.
In an interview with reporters, Manalo said Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 82 is focused solely on enhancing economic and trade relations with Taiwan.
“We maintain the One China Policy. I think it’s basically to encourage trade and investments with all partners, and so that’s consistent. But it’s still within the context of the One-China Policy,” said Manalo.
The DFA chief added that he has no information on whether China has lodged a protest or filed formal representations in response to the circular.
China considers Taiwan a renegade province and part of its territory.
In a separate interview, Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. thoroughly studied the directive before its issuance.
“Nakikita po natin ginawa po ng pangulo at ng pamahalaan patungkol po dito. Hindi naman po isinasantabi yung One China policy. Nandun pa rin po yung respeto natin sa One China Policy,” she said.
[Translation: We can see that the President and the government took deliberate action on this. The One China policy is not set aside. Our respect for it remains intact.]
“So ito naman po ay para lang sa improvement din natin, no? Tungkol sa trade and investment. So wala naman po tayo nakikita na lumalabag po tayo sa sinasabi nating One China policy,” Castro added.
[Translation: This is purely for our improvement in terms of trade and investment. We do not see this as a violation of the One China policy.]
MC 82, which amends an executive order issued in the Cory Aquino administration, stated that only the president, vice president, and Cabinet-level officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Department of National Defense remain strictly prohibited from visiting Taiwan or engaging in official meetings with its representatives.
Other officials may now travel to the self-governed island under specific conditions:
+ They must use ordinary (non-official) passports
+ They must avoid using official titles
+ They must coordinate their visits through the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO), which serves as the Philippines’ de facto embassy in Taiwan
+ They must submit a post-visit report to MECO and DFA
MECO must be notified at least five days in advance of any meetings with Taiwanese delegations.
Similar protocols will apply to visits of Taiwanese delegations to the Philippines for economic and trade-related activities.
NewsWatch Plus has reached out to the Chinese embassy in Manila for comment.
