Beijing and Tokyo had clashed over ownership of the Daioyu Island, which the Japanese calls Senkaku over the past several months, which has sparked deep anti-Japanese sentiments in China.
The official, who asked not to be identified, said Japan’s actions left “no room” for bilateral negotiations.
The official said the situation with the Philippines was different, and that Beijing would still want to maintain “friendly relations” with Manila and try to convince them to settle the issue through bilateral negotiations.
“It is our basic line… we wanted to put it into bilateral ways. We didn’t do that (bringing the issue before the Unclos) with the Philippines because we want to talk [in a] more kind of friendly way in this kind of issue,” the official told a select group of reporters.
“We want cooperation with the Philippines,” the official added.
The Chinese official said that bringing China’s dispute with the Philippines before the Unclos or resolving it through an international body would only “complicate” matters.
The official insisted that the only way to resolve the dispute between Beijing and Manila was through bilateral negotiations.
The Aquino government, however, had firmly stood on its position to bring the dispute before an international body, or through a multilateral approach.
Opposition lawmaker Rep. Orlando Fua of Siquijor that the Philippines should not follow Japan’s example in dealing with the Chinese on the sea dispute.
“Japan is better equipped than us. I don’t think we should provoke China,” Fua said.
The Chinese official also reiterated a Chinese Embassy’s statement that the Unclos provides a mechanism only for the resolution of maritime dispute and not on the issue of sovereignty.
Aside from its territorial conflict with the Philippines, China is also embroiled in separate disputes over the West Philippine Sea with Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan.-Manila Standard Today (November 28, 2012 12:01AM)
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