‘Never give in’: Philippine top diplomat has choice words for China

MANILA – Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo says his department has no intention of surrendering or compromising sovereign rights or interests in striking the nation’s diplomatic balance with China.

It’s an increasingly difficult balance to strike, though, as the two sides move from conflict to conflict in the disputed South China Sea.

“Diplomacy does not mean giving in. You never give in. See if you can find a solution or agreement that you both can feel comfortable with. It is never a case that you give in completely to the other side or submission,” Manalo told this author in an exclusive interview this week in Manila.

Manalo spoke just prior to the latest meeting of the two sides’ Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM) on the South China Sea held this week in Beijing. The meeting was held as new tensions have bubbled up in recent days around the Sabina Shoal in the Spratly Islands.

On September 11, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong and Philippine Undersecretary Theresa Lazaro held what were characterized as “frank and candid” talks on ways to de-escalate tensions and prevent armed confrontation in the hotly disputed waters.

“Emphasizing that [Sabina] Shoal is within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Philippines, Undersecretary Lazaro reaffirmed Manila’s consistent position of the Philippines and explored ways to lower the tension in the area,” the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in an official statement following the high-level discussions.

“I reaffirmed the Philippines’ consistent position and explored ways to lower the tension,” Lazaro said separately on X. “We agreed to continue discussions on areas of cooperation, especially on hotline mechanism, coastguard