Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. File photo

 MANILA — The Chinese embassy in Manila reiterated its call for the Philippines to honor commitments as it revealed that officials of the current administration had also "agreed" on a "new model" to manage the dispute in the West Philippine Sea.

READ: Philippines 'doing everything possible' to ease tension with China: Marcos

Aside from former President Rodrigo Duterte’s "gentleman’s agreement" with Beijing to maintain the status quo in the West Philippine Sea, the Chinese embassy claimed it has spoken and reached a consensus with several representatives of the Marcos administration.

“In addition to the meetings of China-Philippines Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea (BCM), the Chinese side invited the Envoy of the President to China for Special Concerns of the Philippines to Beijing last September to discuss how to properly manage the situation at Ren’ai Jiao, which resulted in an internal understanding," it said.

Philippine Ambassador to the United Kingdom Teodoro “Teddy Boy” Locsin is concurrently the President’s special envoy to China for special concerns.

"A 'new model' for management of the Ren’ai Jiao situation was also agreed upon by both sides early this year after rounds of serious communications with the Philippine military," the embassy added.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) have yet to react on the said claims by China. 

But the National Security Council (NSC) has already denied any knowledge of an alleged “new model” in managing the Ayungin Shoal dispute.

READ: Marcos says Philippines will not be 'cowed into silence' by China

“As far as we are concerned, there is no agreement on any new model. Ayungin Shoal is a Low Tide Elevation within our EEZ as stated in the Arbitral ruling and based on UNCLOS. The PRC vessels have no right to be there. It is within our jurisdiction. As an independent nation following the rules based international order, we will continue to conduct all activities and resupply mission any time and any way we want in our EEZ particularly in Ayungin Shoal,” said the NSC in a statement issued April 15.

 The Chinese embassy meanwhile denied that the agreement China had with the Duterte administration was done in secret. 

The embassy also claimed that the Marcos administration knew about it from the time it took office.

 "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. Since the current Philippine administration took office, the Chinese side has repeatedly briefed this administration on matters related to the Gentleman’s Agreement," the embassy said.

READ: Marcos 'horrified' by alleged Duterte-Xi 'secret deal' on West PH Sea

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Meanwhile, China Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said the Philippines should stop “provocations” by allowing itself to be used by other “forces.” 

Lin was reacting to a military exercise on April 22 to May 10, between the Philippines and the US.

 “China has made clear many times its position on the military cooperation between the US and the Philippines. The Philippines needs to be fully aware that when countries outside the region are brought into the South China Sea to flex muscles and stoke confrontation, tensions could get worse and the region will only become less stable," he said.

READ: Philippine Coast Guard to join military drills with United States

"We urge the Philippines to stop making maritime provocations. We urge relevant countries outside the region to stop stoking confrontation in the South China Sea. We will continue to take necessary measures to firmly safeguard our territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests and keep the South China Sea peaceful and stable,” Lin added.

The US embassy in Manila announced that more than 16,000 members of the AFP and the US will train together in the 39th iteration of the Balikatan Exercises. 

The Australian Defense Force and the French Navy will also join the exercise for the first time in Balikatan history since 1991. 

Fourteen nations will also join as observers including Japan and India.

The exercise comes after a historical trilateral leaders summit between the Philippines, the US and Japan held in Washington D.C., where US President Joe Biden reaffirmed the US pledge to defend the Philippines from any attack as stipulated under the US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty. 

China immediately issued a strong opposition to what it calls “bloc politics.”

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