By Azer Parrocha/PNA
MANILA — Malacañang on Monday expressed hope that more Filipinos will see the sincerity of China with respect to the agreements it signed with the Philippines, after a survey showed majority of Filipinos distrust China.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said it was “understandable” for Filipinos to trust the US more than China since the former has been the Philippines’ long-time ally.
“It’s understandable for Filipino’s to feel that way. We have been used to the States being our ally,” Panelo said in a Palace media briefing.
However, Panelo said Filipinos might change their minds about China when the agreements signed with the Philippines start to yield results.
“Siguro (Maybe) as we go along at nakita na iyong sincerity ng (and they start to see the sincerity of) China with respect to agreements between the two countries, eh baka mabago iyong kanilang pananaw (they might change their minds),” Panelo said.
In a survey conducted by Pulse Asia from Dec. 14 to 21 last year, results showed that Filipinos continued to distrust China at 60 percent (40 percent not too much trust, 20 percent no trust at all).
On the other hand, the survey showed that 84 percent (29 percent a great deal of trust, 54 percent a fair amount of trust) of Filipinos trust the United States of America.
The Philippines and China signed over 20 agreements during the state visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Manila on Nov. 20 to 21, 2018.
Among these agreements is a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on joint exploration in the disputed West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).
Relations between the Philippines and China have significantly improved after President Rodrigo R. Duterte decided to temporarily shelve an international arbitration court’s verdict nullifying China’s nine-dash line map, to give way to friendly and peaceful bilateral talks between both countries.
‘Just speculation’
Panelo, meanwhile, tagged as “speculation” an Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) report which showed an increase of Chinese vessels in the Spratly Islands.
“We don’t know that yet. Speculation lang iyon eh (That’s just speculation),” Panelo said.
Panelo assured that the Department of National Defense (DND) is already conducting an independent investigation of the heavy presence of Chinese vessels in the contested waters.
“I’m sure the Department of National Defense is doing that already,” Panelo said.
“Whoever is authorized to oversee that area ay alam nila ang gagawin nila if they feel na may security threat (know what they will do if they feel that there’s a security threat),” he added.
Earlier, the AMTI, said in its report that it has documented China’s maritime militia in contested waters “to bolster China’s presence.”
