The Philippine Online Chronicles

Malacañang stressed yesterday that the West Philippine Sea issue was only a small part of an otherwise healthy relationship with Beijing, and that improving defense capabilities would not deter a peaceful resolution to the dispute.

“We continue to be committed to ensuring peace and stability in the region,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said on dzRB. “In connection with whatever disputes that we may have, our commitment remains firm that we will pursue every diplomatic channel ... that we have to be able to solve it peacefully.”

Meanwhille, Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario believes China will concur with Manila's position on the issue—that the territorial dispute must be settled in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

“Our relations with China as we have said should be governed by mutual respect, equality and observance of each other’s sovereignty,” del Rosario said.

The Global Times, a daily Chinese tabloid owned by Communist Party mouthpiece the People's Daily, published Sunday an editorial calling for “detailed countermeasures” against the Philippines for its “creating military tensions by playing a balancing strategy.”

The South China Sea was locally renamed the West Philippine Sea after the Spratlys issue escalated last year.