Ties between Manila, Taipei strengthened

Representatives of the two countries are meeting again in early July to continue negotiating on fishing operations in their overlapping exclusive economic zones, but international law expert Harry Roque says the talks should be aimed at concluding an agreement between the Philippines and a local government of China to avoid violating the Philippines’ one-China policy.

Under that policy, the Philippines has diplomatic relations only with China, which considers Taiwan its province.

But the Philippines maintains economic and cultural relations with Taiwan, though not through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) but through the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (Meco), an agency under the Office of the President, with the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (Teco) as its Taiwanese counterpart.

Antonio I Basilio, managing director and resident representative to Meco, said on Monday that the National Bureau of Investigation’s resolution of the fatal shooting of Taiwanese fisherman Hung Shih-chen by Filipino coast guards off Balintang Island on May 9 was the “last piece” in the two countries’ efforts to put their once good relations together again.

The shooting death of Hung sparked public anger in Taiwan. Taipei demanded an apology from the Philippine government, compensation for Hung’s family, the arrest and punishment of the killers, and the initiation of fishery cooperation talks between the two countries.

To pressure Manila to comply, Taipei froze new jobs for Filipinos in Taiwan and suspended trade and cultural exchanges with the Philippines.

The preparatory meeting on fishery cooperation came two days after the NBI, which investigated the shooting death of Hung, recommended the prosecution of the coast guards involved.