DFA reaffirms One-China policy, keeps Taiwan ties open

The Philippines’ One-China Policy remains “consistent, clear and unchanged,” but it does not prevent Manila from pursuing economic, cultural, and functional cooperation with Taiwan, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Sunday.

The clarification came after Taiwan announced plans to establish a representative office in Cebu as part of a proposed “Taiwan-Philippines economic corridor,” drawing objections from Beijing.

In a statement, the DFA reaffirmed the Philippines’ adherence to the 1975 Joint Communiqué with China, under which Manila recognized the government of the People’s Republic of China as the sole legal government of China.

At the same time, it stressed that the policy does not preclude practical engagement with Taiwan.

“The One China Policy does not preclude the Philippines from pursuing economic, cultural, and functional cooperation with Taiwan. 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 statement also underscored Manila’s authority to determine and conduct its foreign policy, citing the 1987 Constitution and Executive Order No. 292, or the Administrative Code of 1987.

“The Department remains the authoritative voice in the conduct of the country’s foreign policy,” it said.

The DFA’s clarification follows recent exchanges with Beijing as tensions continue in the West Philippine Sea. Days earlier, Manila protested what it described as the China Coast Guard’s ramming of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel BRP Datu Magat Salamat during a humanitarian mission for Filipino fishers.

The DFA said it would continue to rely on diplomacy, open communication, and the peaceful resolution of disputes under international law.

“Together with other relevant agencies, the Department will continue to ensure the welfare of Filipinos on both sides of the Taiwan Strait,” it said.