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MANILA – The Philippines and China tackled “safety, rights, and welfare” of their respective nationals in a joint consular meeting in Beijing on July 22, the Philippine Embassy in China reported Wednesday.
It was the first Joint Consular Consultation (JCC) meeting since July 24, 2019, when the previous session was held in Manila.
Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Maria Antonina Mendoza-Oblena and Chinese Foreign Ministry Director-General for Consular Affairs Long Zhou led the consultations and acknowledged the “centuries of friendship” between the two nations.
“Our relations have faced challenges, but we continue to cooperate in protecting our nationals and persist in aspiring for more people-to-people exchanges,” Mendoza-Oblena said.
The meeting served as a platform to discuss law enforcement cooperation, trade and investment, and tourism, among others.
Both sides highlighted their ongoing cooperation in addressing transnational and other crimes, including illegal gambling, with Mendoza-Oblena suggesting enhancing information-sharing on law enforcement.
“The two sides agreed on the importance of engagement through this bilateral mechanism in order to achieve improvements in managing consular cases which facilitate people-to-people relationships,” the embassy said.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announced the banning of Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) in 2024, a development the embassy said has led to enhanced Philippine-China cooperation in the crackdown of illegal gambling operations.
Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has not yet confirmed whether the case of the three Filipino nationals currently detained in China was raised during the JCC.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro earlier said the matter is being treated as a “consular issue” and that the Philippine government is providing full support to the detainees.
The JCC was originally formed as an annual dialogue between the two countries to enhance bilateral people-to-people exchanges and resolve pressing consular issues. — Joyce Ann L. Rocamora (PNA)
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Credit belongs to: www.pna.gov.ph
