MANILA,
Philippines - China has welcomed the
Philippines’ appointment of a career diplomat as the new ambassador to Beijing.
Chinese
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Liu Weimin said the appointment of Sonia Brady
would help the Philippines and China enhance communication through diplomatic
channels. “The Chinese side welcomes the Philippine side to send its ambassador
to China as soon as possible. This will help the two countries enhance
communication through diplomatic channels,” Liu said. President Aquino named
Brady as ambassador to China amid the tense territorial row between Manila and
Beijing over Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal.
Malacañang
has transmitted the nomination and designation letter for Brady subject to
confirmation by the Commission on Appointments.
In
March, Chinese Ambassador Ma Keqing said China was hopeful that the Philippines
would have an ambassador to Beijing to facilitate communication between the two
countries. The President had decided not to reappoint family friend and
businessman Domingo Lee, who withdrew his nomination to the post after Congress
refused to approve his appointment.
In a
bilateral meeting in Cambodia yesterday, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and
his Chinese counterpart Liang Guanglie have agreed to keep their communication
lines open and to exercise restraint in dealing with the prevailing security
challenges amid the territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea.
The
meeting took place at the sidelines of the yearly Southeast Asian (ASEAN)
Defense Ministers Meeting hosted by Phnom Penh. Gazmin and Liang also agreed to
play a positive role, specifically by staying calm and making prudent remarks
in dealing with the Panatag Shoal standoff. Meanwhile, Vice President Jejomar
Binay yesterday urged the Malaysian government to lend its “wise counsel” to
other countries claiming portions of Scarborough Shoal, including China, to
come up with a peaceful and diplomatic solution to the conflict.
Binay,
now in Malaysia attending the Philippine-Malaysia Investment Partnership Forum
at the Royal Chulan Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, said peace and security in the South
China Sea is critical to the Philippines, Malaysia and neighboring countries.
“In the
South China Sea, a broad regional approach to the problem awaits the wisdom and
creativity of those interested in the permanent tranquility and stability of
our international sea lanes. Malaysia, although also a claimant to the
Spratlys, has not been drawn actively into any maritime incident, and could
probably lend its wise counsel to the other parties,” Binay said in a speech
during the opening of the Philippine-Malaysia Investment Partnership forum.
“I am
confident that Malaysia and the Philippines will continue to work together
until the issues are satisfactory resolved in favor of peace and economic
cooperation,” he said.
Jaime
Laude, Pia Lee-Brago and Jose Rodel Clapano
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