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Manila representative
set to resume duties: MOFA
Staff writer, with CNA
A man reads a local paper at a
newspaper stand in Manila after Philippine newspapers reported the lifting of
Taiwanese sanctions on the Philippines yesterday.
Photo: CNA
Taiwan’s representative to the
Philippines, Raymond Wang (王樂生), may resume his duties in Manila soon, now that
relations between the two countries have returned to normal, the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said yesterday.
The Philippines’ representative to Taiwan, Antonio I. Basilio, meanwhile, is
scheduled to return to Taipei on Monday, the ministry said.
Wang was recalled by the government in May as tensions between Taiwan and the
Philippines escalated over the fatal shooting of fisherman Hung Shih-cheng (洪石成)
on May 9.
Dissatisfied with Manila’s handling of the incident, Taiwan imposed sanctions
against the Philippines and demanded that Basilio return home to help deal with
the incident.
However, on Thursday the government announced a decision to immediately lift all
11 sanctions against the Philippines, which had included a freeze on the hiring
of Filipino workers in Taiwan and a travel alert for the Philippines.
The decision came in the wake of a recommendation by the Philippine National
Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to bring homicide charges against eight coast
guard officers involved in the fatal shooting, and an apology offered in person
by an envoy of Philippine President Benigno Aquino III to Hung’s family.
The Philippine government has also reached an agreement with the family on a
compensation package, ministry officials said.
Meanwhile, Taiwan and the Philippines are expected to begin formal fishery talks
in Taipei soon, ministry officials said.
In a preparatory meeting on June 14, the two sides reached an initial consensus
on several issues, including a decision not to use force or violence when
patrolling fishing grounds.
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