DFA affirms one-China; Taiwan to open Cebu office

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) yesterday issued the statement following Taiwan’s announcement on Tuesday that it is preparing to open a representative’s office in Cebu to use it to create a “Taiwan-Philippines economic corridor.”

STAR / File

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines’ one-China policy remains unchanged, but it does not stop the country from pursuing economic, cultural and functional cooperation with Taiwan.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) yesterday issued the statement following Taiwan’s announcement on Tuesday that it is preparing to open a representative’s office in Cebu to use it to create a “Taiwan-Philippines economic corridor.”

This would link up with the “Luzon Economic Corridor,” a project launched by the Philippines with the United States and Japan.

The DFA reaffirmed the Philippines’ adherence to the one-China policy, in accordance with the 1975 Joint Communiqué between the Philippines and China, in which the Philippines recognized the Chinese government as the sole legal government of China.

“This policy remains consistent, clear and unchanged,” the DFA said.

The policy does not, however, preclude the Philippines from pursuing economic, cultural and functional cooperation with Taiwan, it said.

President Marcos recently said the Philippines and Taiwan are close neighbors with a long history of doing business together.

Meanwhile, Rep. Leila de Lima has condemned anew the reported presence of Chinese-marked vessels allegedly engaged in large-scale dredging operations off Zambales, calling the attention of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

De Lima raised concerns about what she called “conflicting explanations” from the DENR and Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) on what really is the legal basis of these foreign vessels’ operations in the country.

She said the issue became even more troubling after a PPA list dated September 2025 indicated at least 67 vessels conducted dredging activities in Botolan and San Felipe in Zambales from 2020 to 2025, most of which bore Chinese names.

“What is really bothersome is, how many of these ships have questionable identities, and most especially, why were they allowed to operate?” De Lima said.

She raised the matter during the House committee briefing and plenary deliberations on the DENR’s proposed 2027 budget, where she received different explanations about the presence of Chinese vessels.

De Lima said the DENR regional director told lawmakers that no Chinese firm was involved in dredging activities in Zambales. During the plenary deliberations, however, she said the DENR acknowledged that Chinese vessels were being used, but explained that these were merely rented.

“So, is this just now an alibi that rented Chinese vessels were operating there? Or are they really Chinese? What is it really? Which is which?” she asked.

The conflicting explanations prompted De Lima to call for greater scrutiny of who actually operates or rents the vessels and who is ultimately responsible for the dredging activities.

“Whether Chinese or not, the DENR has not issued any denial that there is large-scale dredging in the coastlines of Zambales. But the DENR should still make this very clear,” she said.

De Lima said the reported dredging has also triggered complaints from coastal communities in San Felipe, where residents claim the sea has reached houses that were previously unaffected, displacing families and damaging businesses and livelihoods, particularly those of fishermen.

She also sought an update on House Resolution 424, which she filed in November 2025, directing the appropriate House committee to investigate the reported activities and examine the involvement and accountability of foreign contractors, including China Harbour Engineering Co. Ltd. — Delon Porcalla