Marcos congratulates Taiwan's president-elect Lai Ching-te

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has congratulated Lai Ching-te on his election as Taiwan's next president.

The President's congratulatory message came a day after the Department of Foreign Affairs said the Philippines was committed to its one-China police when asked to comment on the conduct of the Taiwanese elections.

"On behalf of the Filipino people, I congratulate President-elect Lai Ching-te on his election as Taiwan's next President," Marcos said in a post on X on Monday night.

"We look forward to close collaboration, strengthening mutual interests, fostering peace, and ensuring prosperity for our peoples in the years ahead," he added.

GMA News Online has sought the comment of China as regards Marcos' tweet and will publish it as soon as it is available.

Responding to a request on Sunday for comment on Taiwan's elections, DFA spokesperson Teresita Daza said, "The Philippines is committed to its One-China policy."

"The Department of Foreign Affairs reaffirms the principles contained in the Joint Communique of the Philippines and the People's Republic of China signed by President Ferdinand E. Marcos and Premier Zhou Enlai on June 9, 1975," Daza said.

"The Philippines is committed to its One-China Policy. The Joint Communique states that 'the two governments agree to settle all disputes by peaceful means... without resorting to the use of threat or force'," she added.

In deference to the One-China Policy, Manila does not have diplomatic ties with Taiwan, a democratic self-ruling island  which has been separated from the Beijing government since 1949, but still claimed by China as part of its territory.

The Philippines, however, maintains a de-facto embassy in Taiwan, called the Manila Economic and Cultural Office or MECO.

Taiwan hosts 115,000 Filipinos, mostly working in factories.

Thank you, President @bongbongmarcos for your congratulations. I deeply value the enduring friendship between #Taiwan & the #Philippines. I look forward to enhancing our economic and people-to-people ties while championing democracy, peace & prosperity in the region. https://t.co/jQyKzstpBM

— ???Lai Ching-te (@ChingteLai) January 15, 2024

On X, Lai thanked Marcos for the message.

"Thank you, President @bongbongmarcos for your congratulations. I deeply value the enduring friendship between #Taiwan & the #Philippines," Lai said in a tweet.

"I look forward to enhancing our economic and people-to-people ties while championing democracy, peace & prosperity in the region," he added.

Three diplomats said there the the DFA was not informed beforehand as regards Marcos' congratulatory message for the Taiwanese president-elect.

One diplomat  said the DFA was caught by surprise while another said the post on X was "very damaging." 

Mao Ning, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said "Whatever changes take place in Taiwan, the basic fact that there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is part of China will not change."

"Taiwan has never been a country and will never be one. We believe that the international community’s prevailing consensus on upholding the one-China principle and long-standing and overwhelming adherence to this principle will become more solid," Mao said in a press conference on Monday.

"The Chinese people’s just cause of opposing 'Taiwan independence' and external interference and striving for national reunification will win more understanding and support," she added. —NB, GMA Integrated News