According to Reuters report on October 21st, a Filipino diplomat said on Wednesday that although the Philippines adheres to the policy of recognizing 'one China', it is still exploring opportunities for deepening cooperation with the Taiwan region in order to protect submarine cables and deal with activities in the 'gray zone'.
The Deputy Director of the Philippine Embassy in the United States, Felipe Carrión-Three, stated at a seminar that it is necessary to maintain the common interests between Taiwan and the Philippines through this 'practical and realistic approach' to cooperation.
During a seminar held at the Washington New American Security Center, Cariniio 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 we operate in.”
Kariniio said, “These are all very important facilities that need to be protected. Therefore, we are exploring deeper cooperation with our Taiwanese friends.” He added that the Philippines is doing this “even though we follow the ‘One China’ policy.”
He stated 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 in the gray zones of our region.’
When asked whether such cooperation could include joint patrols or holding accountable those who interfere with communication ships, Cariniò said he was not aware of the specifics, but stated, “I am sure that such cooperation is ongoing, and some of the things you mentioned may actually be becoming reality.”
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has warned the Philippines not to play with fire on the Taiwan issue, to strictly adhere to the one-China principle and the communiqué on establishing diplomatic relations between China and the Philippines. The Philippines should immediately stop any wrongful actions regarding the Taiwan issue and cease sending any wrong signals to the separatist forces advocating for Taiwan independence.
