Vice President Leni Robredo questioned Sunday, April 26, the real score of our relationship with China whom once again made movements in the West Philippine Sea.
The next highest official in the country started casting doubts after series of events happened between the two countries.
Chinese government sent doctors to the Philippines to help fight coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19.
Last week, Two diplomatic protests were filed by the Philippine Government against China after a Chinese vessel aimed a radar gun at a Philippine Navy ship and Beijing’s establishment of two districts (Xisha and Nansha) in the West Philippine Sea.
The same week, the China then started donating medical supplies and equipment to our government as part of their help and to show good relationship between two countries.
For the Vice President, it seems that the Chinese government is taking advantage the pandemic, the whole world is facing.
Atty. Barry Gutierrez, Spokesperson of the Office of the Vice President, said in an interview with PDN’s “Chris Ng Bayan” online radio program that this series of events is something our government has to think of.
Gutierrez is pointing out of the help that our government received from China but in spite all this, the powerful Asian country continues to move behind our back which he stated is a sign of disrespecting our sovereignty.
“Hindi naman natin itatanggi, hindi naman tayo tatanggi sa kahit sinumang bansa na mag-aalok ng kanilang pakikipagkaibigan sa atin. Kung halimbawa ang China, nagawa na naman nila ito sa mga nakaraang buwan, pagbibigay ng tulong, pagbibigay ng donasyon, salamat, di ba. Sa panahong ito, ano ba naman ang ating karapatan na tumanggi sa anumang tulong na manggagaling kahit kanino man, kahit na anong bansa,” Gutierrez told Palawan Daily in an interview.
“Pero sana huwag namang dalawang mukha ang ihaharap. May isang mukha ng pagkakaibigan na kunyari bibigyan ka ng tulong pero kapag ikaw ay nakatalikod ay aagawin naman ang iyong teritoryo. Kung baga, kung tunay na kaibigan, isang mukha lang ang ihaharap sa’yo,” he added.
Meanwhile, the local government unit of Kalayaan earlier said that they highly condemned the move of creation of two districts under Hainan province in Spratly Group of Islands in the midst of COVID-19 pandemic.
In the midst of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis, the Chinese government officially created two districts under Hainan province—-Xisha and Nansha—-both located in the West Philippine Sea.