DFA says no to calls of Chinese goods boycott

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) facade (Facebook photo)

MANILA – Amidst territorial disputes with China, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) discourages people’s calls of withdrawing trade relations with China.

DFA would not opt to take such drastic measures. Rather,  they sought to raise the public’s awareness on the issue.

“We are not advocating that… Our position is that this is not the sum total of our overall relationship with China,” DFA Spokesperson Charles Jose said, referring to the increasing calls of boycott on China-made products.

“We still have a lot of areas of cooperation with them that includes trade and investment, tourism, education and culture and people to people contacts… We would like to continue with this cooperation, we would like to strengthen and promote these other areas of cooperation that is why we deal separately with the South China Sea issue,” he added.

Acting on their aim of raising the people’s level of awareness on the issue, the DFA is now conducting education and information campaigns nationwide.

Some Filipinos, however, had already started anti-China actions, including boycott of Chinese goods. They had also conducted protests in various cities within and outside the country.

Some Filipinos see these moves as their way of fighting China, when the country could not engage on military actions.

“Our people have the freedom and right to express their freedom of the press and assembly… But for us, an informed citizenry is enough,” Jose said, regarding the boycott and protests.