Diplomatic protest vs China won’t affect talks over vaccine access – Palace

By Prince Golez

Malacañang believes the filing of a diplomatic protest against China over the illegal confiscation by the Chinese Coast Guard of fish aggregating devices of Filipino fishermen in Bajo de Masinloc won’t affect the East Asian nation’s commitment to prioritize Manila’s request for access to coronavirus vaccine.

“Hindi naman po. Yang mga protests naman ginagawa talaga yan ng ating mga diplomats kung meron sa tingin natin na lalalabag sa ating soberenya o doon sa ating tinatawag natin sovereign rights,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a message aired on state-run PTV-4 Friday.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) lodged yesterday a diplomatic protest to China over the incident involving Filipino fishermen in Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal, in May.

“Hindi naman po makakaapekto doon sa kabuuan ng ating matalik na pagsasamahan sa panig ng bansa natin at ng bansang Tsina,” Roque also said.

In a statement, the DFA noted that the Philippines also “resolutely objected to China’s continuing illicit issuances of radio challenges Philippine aircraft conducting legitimate regular maritime patrols in the West Philippine Sea.”

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Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)