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