Summit planned to seek ways to ‘talk sense’ into China, Philippines envoy says

A summit of at least 20 nations is planned on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly this month to seek ways “to talk some sense” into China over its confrontation with the Philippines in the South China Sea, Manila’s Washington envoy said on Tuesday.

“The more countries band together and give a message to China that what they’re doing is definitely not on the right side of history, then we have a better than even chance that they will not make that wrong move that we’re all fearing,” the envoy, Jose Manuel Romualdez said.

Romualdez did not elaborate on plans for the summit, which he said would take place on the sidelines of the annual General Assembly in New York in the week of September 22.

The United States is Manila’s key ally. The US State Department and the White House did not immediately respond when asked about the plan.

The Philippines and China have exchanged accusations of intentionally ramming coastguard vessels in the disputed South China Sea in recent months, including a violent clash in June in which a Filipino sailor lost a finger.

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