SUMMARY
MANILA, Philippines – Amid an onslaught of revelations, claims, truths, and half-truths from Beijing on the West Philippine Sea, Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo wants to make one thing clear: Philippine actions in security, diplomatic, or economic ties are “for our own national purposes or national security” and not to play into superpower competition.
“We just answer it back. And we’re ready to answer it back also through our own releases. One common theme is that we hope China realizes that many of the actions we are taking are being taken for our own national purposes or national security and not in the context, let’s say, of a US-China competition or rivalry. We’re doing it for our own needs,” Manalo said in a sit-down interview that aired Friday, May 3, for Rap…