China worried about tendencies in Philippines having negative influence on ties

MANILA, March 12 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in Manila Wednesday said China is worried about some recently emerged tendencies in the Philippines which may impose negative influence on China-Philippines friendly relations and mutually beneficial cooperation.

The Chinese Embassy said in a statement that with the common efforts of China and the Philippines, China-Philippines relations have been developing smoothly in recent years and increasingly expanded mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields has brought about tangible benefits to the peoples of the two countries.

The statement said it is an established policy of the Chinese government to develop strategic partnership and all-round friendly cooperation with member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

"As the Philippines is an important member of ASEAN, China attaches great importance and makes relentless efforts to developing good neighborly and friendly relations with the Philippines," said the statement.

The statement said Chinese government's position on the South China Sea is consistent and explicit.

"China stands for peaceful resolution of disputes over the South China Sea through friendly consultation, in order to maintain stability in the South China Sea and to promote mutually beneficial cooperation, China has put forward the proposition of 'shelving disputes and going in for joint development', which serves the common interests of all sides concerned," said the statement.

"The China-Philippines-Vietnam tripartite cooperation in the South China Sea complies with the principles of the ASEAN-China Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC)and is conducive to maintenance of peace and stability in the South China Sea and the region at large," said the statement.

The statement said China hopes to make joint efforts with the Philippines to properly handle the problems related to bilateral cooperation, so as to maintain healthy development of China-Philippines relations and to safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea and the region at large.

Some Philippine opposition lawmakers have recently disputed China-Philippines-Vietnam tripartite cooperation in the South China Sea as "violation of Philippine sovereignty".

The Philippine Senate has also been holding numerous hearings for about half a year on alleged corruption of the government of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo over an official telecommunication joint project with China, which has already been scrapped by Arroyo.