Puerto Princesa City—Palawan 3rd District Rep Edward Hagedorn revealed that Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian had warned him that his proposed bill to declare parts of the West Philippine Sea as a marine protected area is causing significant problems for Beijing.
During Hagedorn’s address at the 3rd Community-Based Sustainable Tourism Convention 2023 at the PGP Convention Center within the Provincial Capitol Complex on June 9, Hagedorn shared that the Chinese Ambassador, Huang Xilian, cautioned him about the potential implications of his proposed bill.
Hagedorn claimed that the China envoy warned that if the law were to succeed, it would transform from an environmental issue into a territorial concern due to the contradictory claims involved.
Huang allegedly conveyed this cautionary message after expressing gratitude to Hagedorn for his assistance in facilitating the release of approximately 300 Chinese fishermen who had previously been detained for encroaching upon Philippine fishing territories.
Hagedorn said Huang thanked him but his parting words said that the proposed bill about the Spratly Island is giving a big problem to Beijing and thay Beijing has announced its displeasure over that bill.
Hagedorn replied that the bill is purely environmental and not dealing about the territorial dispute but the Ambassador said that once the bill is enacted, the matter is no longer environmental, it is territorial.
Upon inquiring about Huang’s intentions, he said the Chinese envoy advised him to reconsider proceeding with the bill.
Hagedorn added thr he might be able to make some amendments, but will never withdraw the bill.
Altho the bill, Hagedorn said, had passed the first and second readings, the report is pending at the committee level.
He further mentioned that he recently approached House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez regarding the bill, and he intends to discuss its fate with President Bongbong Marcos Jr. in an upcoming event.
One positive aspect, however, is that the bill receives support from 1st District Ilocos Norte Representative Ferdinand Alexander Marcos, who is the son of President Marcos.