China ready to engage PH in candid dialogue

China has said it is ready to engage in candid dialogue with the Philippines, like what it says it does with other neighboring countries, as disputes in the South China Sea continues, involving now even Philippine government officials.

- By JOSEPH PEDRAJAS

The Chinese Embassy in Manila expressed this intention in a statement on Monday night, Jan. 12, as word war between the embassy and several Philippine government officials, most notably Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and West Philippine Sea spokesman Jay Tarriela, sees no sign of stopping.

After saying that Tarriela, the spokesman of the agency that continues to fight for the Philippines' right over the West Philippine Sea against China, "does nothing but spreading false, twisted, manipulative, misleading and provocative narratives," the embassy said, "China stands ready to engage in candid dialogue with the Philippines on the basis of mutual respect to manage differences properly." "No matter when Tarriela makes fallacious remarks on China and the South China Sea, and regardless of how many helpers he may call-one, ten, or a hundred-we are always ready to respond," it said. "We will continue to tell facts and share truth to promote understanding and avoid miscalculation so as to grow the China-Philippines relationship in a sound way." In the same statement, the embassy rejected the statement made earlier by the Philippine National Maritime Council, which said that Beijing's actions, particularly its "illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive (ICAD) activities within the maritime zones of the Philippines," directly result in tensions in the West Philippine Sea.