The country's adherence to the One China Policy does not prevent it from pursuing "economic, cultural and functional cooperation with Taiwan," the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Sunday, Sept. 20.
"As President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. recently noted, the Philippines and Taiwan are close neighbors with a long history of doing business together," the DFA said.
The DFA added this reaffirmation of the Philippines to its "consistent, clear and unchanged" policy is in accordance with the 1975 Joint Communiqué between the country and China "in which the Philippines recognized the Government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government of China."
Furthermore, the DFA noted that it remains the "authoritative voice in the conduct of the country's foreign policy."
It said that under Executive Order No. 292 or the Administrative Code of 1987, the DFA "is the lead agency that advises and assists the President in planning, organizing, directing, coordinating and evaluating the total national effort in the field of foreign relations."
It said it is also "charged with conducting the country's foreign relations in accordance with the policies laid down by the President."
"Consistent with this mandate, the Department will continue to rely on effective diplomacy, open communication and the peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law to advance the national interest and promote peace, stability and prosperity in the region and beyond," the DFA said.
"Together with relevant agencies, the Department will continue to ensure the welfare of Filipinos on both sides of the Taiwan Strait," it concluded.
