October 22nd, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning presided over a regular press conference.
Reuters reporters asked that the Philippines stated on Wednesday that it is seeking deeper cooperation with Taiwan region to protect undersea cables and to deal with so-called "gray zone" activities. Despite Manila's one-China policy, this measure has been taken. What is China's response to this?
Mao Ning emphasized that there is no "gray area" regarding the Taiwan issue. The Philippines should adhere to the one-China principle through practical actions. Any foreign relations with the Chinese mainland should be handled strictly in accordance with the one-China principle.
According to Reuters, at a seminar held at the New American Security Center in Washington on October 21 local time, Felipe Carrillo III, deputy director of the Philippine Embassy in the United States, linked the safety of submarine cables to the tensions in the South China Sea, but did not directly mention mainland China.
He stated that submarine cables carry almost all intercontinental data transmissions, so their safety is of utmost importance. He also said, “60% to 67% of network incidents occur in the regions where we operate.”
Karinyo said: "These are very important facilities that need to be protected, so we are exploring deeper cooperation with our Taiwanese friends. He added, however, that the Philippines still adheres to the "One China" policy."
He said that the Philippines and Taiwan are exploring ‘more practical and effective ways of cooperation, including knowledge sharing and capacity building’. He added, ‘We believe that this kind of cooperation will help us address the issues of ‘gray zones’ in our region.’
When asked whether such cooperation might include joint patrols or holding accountable those who interfere with communication vessels, Cariniño said that he was not aware of the specifics, but stated, “I am certain that such cooperation is ongoing, and some of the things you mentioned may actually be becoming a reality.”
