Kapag umigting ang tensyon sa Taiwan: Pinas, hindi kakayanin

UMAMIN si Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo na hindi kakayanin ng Pilipinas at  Southeast Asian nations na umigting pa ang tensyon sa pagitan ng Estados Unidos at  China na may kinalaman sa kamakailan lamang na byahe ni  Speaker Nancy Pelosi sa Taiwan.

Sa isang meeting kasama ang bumisitang si  US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, sinabi ni  Manalo na ” escalation could risk creating instability in the region, especially as the world is just recovering from the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.”

“We can ill-afford any further escalation of tensions in the region, because we are already facing a number of challenges getting our economy back to work, especially because of the Covid-19 pandemic. And we all know that no one country will be able to deal with all these issues on their own,” anito.

“We look at the United States, a very important ally, our dear friend, as we chart our path forward,” dagdag na pahayag ni Manalo.

Sa kabilang dako, determinado naman ani Blinken, ang Washington DC na ”  to act responsibly” upang maiwasan ang krisis at labanan sa rehiyon.

Aniya pa, ang  US “always stands by” sa partners  nito. Tinukoy ang  “deep concerns” na ipinahayag ng mga bansa kabilang na ang Pilipinas ukol sa pinakabagong  developments sa Taiwan Strait.

“Maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is vital, not only for Taiwan, but for the Philippines, and many other countries. What happens to the Taiwan Strait affects the entire region. And in many ways, it affects the entire world because the strait, like the South China Sea, is a critical waterway,” ani Blinken  sa  post-bilateral presser.

“The United States doesn’t believe that it’s in the interest of Taiwan, the region or our own national security to escalate that situation,”ang pahayag nito.

Tiniyak din niya na ipapanatili ng Estados Unidos na bukas ang “channel and communication” sa China upang maiwasan ang anumang  miscalculation dahil sa misunderstanding o miscommunication. (Daris Jose)