NSA Carlos recommends note verbale to China over Pag-asa incident

National Security Adviser Clarita Carlos has recommended to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. the sending of a note verbale to China in light of the recent incident involving the Chinese coast guard and a  Philippine naval station team near Pag-asa Island.

Interviewed on Dobol B TV on Tuesday, Carlos said she gave Marcos several recommendations on possible actions regarding the incident, but she could only disclose the one about the note verbale.

“Siguro 'yung puwedeng i-disclose sa public 'yung dati nating ginagawa, mag-note verbale tayo sa China [Perhaps, what I can disclose to the public is the one that we have done before, sending a note verbale to China],” she said.

Carlos said the note will mention the recent meeting between Marcos and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Cambodia where the two leaders discussed focusing on constructive engagement and critical dialogue.

“Sabihin natin na kakausap pa lang ni Xi Jinping at ni President Bongbong sa Cambodia at doon sila sinabi na talagang tutukuran nila constructive engagement at critical dialogue at ito nangyari naman ito,” she said.

(We will mention that this happened after Xi Jinping and President Marcos had a meeting in Cambodia where they vowed to focus on constructive engagement and critical dialogue.)

“Paulit-ulit na lang ito. Ano ba yung katuturan na sinabi ng liderato nila na si Xi Jinping? Wala bang laman yun?,” she added.

(This happens over and over again. What is the point of the statement made by their leader Xi Jinping? Does it have weight?)

Carlos said the Philippines would continue to have a dialogue with China since the country is not at war with it and considering their economic, cultural, and social relations with each other.

However, Carlos expressed hope that China would understand that the supreme national interest of the Philippines is to protect its territory and people.

On Sunday, the Philippines’ Naval Station Emilio Liwanag (NSEL) and Chinese coast guard had a confrontation off Pag-asa Island after the latter “forcefully” took an unidentified floating object from the former.

On the same day, residents reported hearing repetitive blasts from one of China’s artificial islands near Pag-asa Island.

In a statement, the Chinese embassy in Manila denied that Chinese coast guard forcefully retrieved the object at the scene, saying it was done through “friendly consultation.”

The incident and the explosions occurred days before the scheduled visit of United States Vice President Kamala Harris in Palawan.

So far, Carlos said no additional military activities have been observed in the artificial islands built by China around the West Philippine Sea.

“Wala pa naman kundi 'yung dati nila na sila ay halos naka-anchor na doon parang naka-park na sila doon pero patuloy pa rin ang ating pag-uusap,” she said.

(There were no additional military activities so far aside from their continued presence there, but we continue to have a dialogue with them.) —KBK, GMA Integrated News