More than a week after a China Coast Guard vessel fired water cannons on a Philippine boat near Ayungin Shoal, an official from the Chinese government called on the country to have proper diplomatic dialogues and consultations.
Speaking before a forum on Monday, Chinese Embassy deputy chief of Mission Zhou Zhiyong said a confrontational attitude will not bring any good to the bilateral relations between the Philippines and China.
“China has repeatedly expressed its willingness to resolve differences with the Philippines through bilateral dialogues. We hope that the Philippines side will abide by the existing consensus and cherish the hard-won situation in our bilateral relations," Zhou said.
Meet the Chinese side halfway and find an effective way of managing the situation on the sea through diplomatic consultations,” he continued.
The official likewise reiterated that the Philippine government had promised to remove the vessel from the Ayungin Shoal, which Beijing calls Ren’ai Jiao.
"The Philippine side also made explicit commitments to do so. The representations were put on record and well documented," he said.
“It’s been 24 years and the Philippines side has yet to honor its commitment. The Chinese side, however, has always exerted the utmost restraint, with a view to maintaining the relations with the Philippines and safeguarding regional peace and stability," he added.
This claim was previously denied by President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. who said that BRP Sierra Madre will stay at the Ayungin Shoal.
Earlier, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) stood firm that the BRP Sierra Madre is within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
The BRP Sierra Madre has been stationed in Ayungin Shoal since 1999.
