Chinese envoy blamed Philippine government for slow delivery of commitments — Palace

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine government processes slowed the down the process of China's commitments to the country, this is what Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua previously told presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo.

Panelo recalled his previous conversation with the Chinese envoy when asked for comment on the recent remarks of Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Beijing's delivery of assistance to the country.

"Kasi hindi pa kumpleto. You know why? One time kausap ko si Ambassador Zhao (Jianhua) sabi niya sa akin, 'Papaano, ang stringent 'yung mga requirements ng gobyerno ninyo. Ang daming processes,'" Panelo said in a press briefing.

(Because they are not yet complete. You know why? One time I talked to Ambassador Zhao and he told me, "Your government requirements are stringent. There are a lot of processes.")

According to Panelo, Zhao told him that the Chinese government does not have any issues with its processes.

"Basta kami wala kaming problema, sabi nila. Palagi kaming okay kayo ang mabagal, parang ganoon ang dating," the Malacañang mouthpiece said.

(We have no problem on our side, they said. We are always okay, it's you that are slow, that's what it seemed to be.)

In a forum hosted by the Asia Society Policy Institute in New York, Locsin told former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd agreements between the Philippines and China hardly materialized.

“They hardly materialized, and if you were to compare it with Japanese investments and official assistance, nothing," Locsin told Rudd.

Locsin added that Japan has delivered more of its promises to the country compared to China.

"It seems as if Japan, if there is a thing as a rising China, apparently there’s a phenomenon — there’s a book on it — on a rising Japan. And we’re feeling that," the country's top diplomat said.

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