Statement of Secretary Perfecto R. Yasay, Jr.^*

'PRAYING FOR SUCCESS IN THE PRESIDENT'S CHINA VISIT'

President Duterte's China trip is a mission of keeping peace and stability in the region through mutual respect and understanding between two sovereign equals. His goal is to forge closer political, economic and cultural ties on the premise that the South China Sea is not the sum total of our relationship with our Asian neighbor..

Promoting the paramount welfare of our people through better and enduring friendships is the best way to ensure the peaceful settlement of our disputes no matter how long it might take, without derogating our maritime entitlements in the SCS under international law in order to promote the national interest as mandated by the Constitution.

However, partisan critics with their own selfish agenda have been sowing conflict and fear that the President might end up surrendering too much and falling into the hands of China in moving too fast towards mending broken mutual trust and restoring ties that have in the past been damaged and weakened.They urge pursuing a hard line in pushing our EEZ claims that have been bolstered by the July 12 ruling of the Arbitral Tribunal of the PCA in the Hague, and thereby recklessly exacerbating tensions and heightening the risk of war or the use of force.

What our people should realize and understand is that the provoking and inflexible tack taken by the previous administration in resolving the dispute have led to the completion by China of facilities that are inherently designed for military purposes in some of the rock features within our EEZ, while we stand completely helpless with our ally and traditional partners. Worse, we have been tricked into removing our public vessels from control over Bajo de Masinloc and displacing our fishermen from their traditional fishing ground while desperately trying to eke a living for their families.

Nevertheless, It is hoped that President Duterte will be able to quietly address this grave concern with his counterpart, President Xi Jinping, as a mutual expression of goodwill between our two countries.

Therefore, I urge all Filipinos to wish the President well on this trip and to pray for the best in accepting the stark reality that humanity is capable of swiftly and decisively annihilating itself with weapons of mass destruction it created. Under these circumstances, there is no substitute for peace in resolving our disputes. END

* as posted in his personal Facebook page