The new Philippine government will continue to honor the country's One-China policy, a senior official said Manila Tuesday, stressing that the changing of the guard at the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) in Taipei will not, in any way, affect that policy.
In a radio interview, Presidential Spokesman Renato Corona said the appointment of former Appointments Secretary Isabel Golamco as acting chairperson of MECO, replacing former Senator Eva Estrada Kalaw, is only administrative in nature and has nothing to do with the One-China policy of the Philippines.
Corona said the Philippines has no diplomatic relations with Taiwan and will continue to recognize the People's Republic of China as the sole representative of the Chinese people.
He also explained that MECO handles only economic and cultural affairs, foremost of which is to attend to the welfare of thousands of overseas Filipino workers (OFW) now in Taiwan.
(Xinhua 02/06/2001)
