China says agreement not secret; ‘new model’ on management of Ayungin tackled

The gentleman’s agreement the Duterte administration had entered into with China has “nothing to do” with either of the countries’ sovereignty over the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and is not a secret deal, the Chinese Embassy said Thursday.

According to a spokesperson of the embassy, the reported agreement on BRP Sierra Madre at the Ayungin Shoal — which China calls Ren’ai Jiao — is “about managing the situation on the ground, maintaining peace and preventing conflicts” and is unrelated to the countries’ sovereign rights over the resource-rich waters. 

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. last week questioned his predecessor former president Rodrigo Duterte as to what he compromised in the “secret agreement” he made with China. He said he had three questions regarding the supposed agreement — is there such an agreement, what was contained in it, and why was it made secret.

“The Agreement is no secret in that relevant departments and agencies of our two sides had worked under its guidance, effectively maintaining peace and stability at Ren’ai Jiao until early February 2023, or seven months into the incumbent Philippine administration,” the Chinese official told reporters.

“Since the current Philippine administration took office, the Chinese side has repeatedly briefed this administration on matters related to the Gentleman’s Agreement, made representations regarding the Ren’ai Jiao issue, and remained committed to exploring ways of managing the differences through dialogue and consultation with the Philippine side,” he said. 

The spokesperson also said the Envoy of the President to China for Special Concerns of the Philippines was invited to Beijing in September last year, wherein they had an  “internal understanding” of the situation and later resulted to a “new model” for the management of the Ayungin Shoal after a series of discussions with the Philippine military. 

No further details on the supposed “new model” was given. 

“Regrettably, only one round of resupply mission was carried out within the realm of these understandings and arrangements before they were unilaterally abandoned by the Philippine side for no good reason,” the embassy official said. 

“China once again urges the Philippines to honor its commitments and consensus with China, show sincerity, stop provocations, return to the right track of dialogue and consultation as soon as possible, and work with the Chinese side to properly manage the situation at Ren’ai Jiao and safeguard the hard-won peace and stability in the South China Sea,” he added. 

Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque last month bared the existence of the agreement but it was denied by Salvador Panelo, the chief presidential legal counsel of the previous administration.

Duterte, for his part, said he conceded nothing to China during his administration, but he adverted to a “status quo” in which neither the Philippines nor China would make any move to disrupt the South China Sea, including the transport of construction materials to the BRP Sierra Madre.

Meanwhile, international relations experts earlier slammed the supposed “gentleman’s agreement” saying it only favors Beijing and compromises the Philippines’ national interest.

China claims most of the South China Sea, parts of which are also claimed by the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam and Indonesia. 

The July 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling issued by an international tribunal upheld the Philippines’ 200 nautical mile Economic Exclusive Zone (EEZ), outlawed Chinese aggression in the common fishing ground of Scarborough Shoal, and rejected China’s expansive nine-dash-line claim of the entire South China Sea.

GMA News Online has sought the comment of Malacanang and will post the response as soon as available.—LDF, GMA Integrated News