Senator Risa Hontiveros: “Ang Pilipinas ay may sariling pagkakakilanlan at pag-iisip. Huwag sana nilang pangunahan.”
SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS — On Friday, the senator said that Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian “shouldn’t pontificate” the One China Policy.
Senator Hontiveros has called out the Chinese envoy for supposedly imposing a foreign policy that the Philippines should pursue in view of the recent diplomatic tension involving China, Taiwan, and the United States.
The senator said in a statement that the Chinese envoy “should not presume to lecture the Philippines” as to how the Philippine government should pursue its foreign policy objectives.
She also lamented that China rejects rulings when it’s disadvantageous to them, hence, the Chinese envoy shouldn’t preach the One China principle.
“It is unfortunate that the good Ambassador felt the need to impose his will on our country, disrespecting our agency and autonomy,” the senator said. “Ang Pilipinas ay may sariling pagkakakilanlan at pag-iisip. Huwag sana nilang pangunahan.”
To recall, it was last Tuesday when the Chinese envoy reminded the Philippine government to adhere to the One China policy after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan.
READ ALSO: Malacañang Says PH ‘Closely Monitoring’ China’s Actions Amidst Pelosi’s Visit To Taiwan
Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimnentel warned the government to beware of its pronouncements on the US-Taiwan-China issue, but he encouraged the government to “re-state our adherence to the One China Policy”.
Senator Jinggoy Estrada, for his part, hoped that the situation will “not worsen nor escalate into something serious” as any confrontation between China and the United States “could be devastating for the world economy”.
Earlier, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said in a press briefing that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the military are “closely monitoring the situation as they would in any other similar circumstance”.
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