Manila: China has given its response to a request by the Philippine government to explain the "harassment" recently carried out by Chinese gunboats on an oil exploration vessel in the Spratlys.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said that although China did not directly explain its part in the incident, its response was non-confrontational.
Del Rosario said that China, in recognition of both countries' desire to constructively settle the issue, have agreed "to keep channels of communication open on this matter.
"Dialogue among concerned countries is important in promoting mutual understanding on the South China Sea," Del Rosario said.
It can be recalled that the Philippines, in light of the incident that took place near the disputed Spratlys Islands on March 2, had sent a "Note Verbale" to China seeking an explanation on the near confrontation at the Reed Bank.
In that incident, a vessel contracted by the government-owned Philippine National Oil Corporation (PNOC) to look for possible oil and natural gas fields at the Reed Bank was reportedly "harassed" by two Chinese gunboats.
Reed Bank is located just 80 kilometres away from western Philippines' Palawan and it was reported that one of the two Chinese gunboats nearly rammed into the oil exploration vessel.
The March 2 alleged incident of harassment at Reed Bank prompted the Philippine military to send two aircraft — an OV-10 observation aircraft and an Islander plane — to conduct flights over the area.
Asean talks
As part of the Philippines' continuing dialogue with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and China on the South China Sea issue General Henry Bensurto, Commission on Maritime and Ocean Affairs Secretary, is visiting Beijing next week upon the invitation of his counterpart, Ambassador Ning Fukui, Director General of the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
