Defense department puts lid on Gazmin-Liang talks

UPON CHINA’S request, the Department of National Defense (DND) has clamped a tight media lid on talks between Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and visiting Chinese Defense Minister Gen. Liang Guanglie.

Liang, who is in the country for a five-day official visit until May 25, is set to hold talks with Gazmin and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Eduardo Oban Jr. on Monday morning at the DND office.

But no information about the agenda was forthcoming, other than that Liang would be given full military honors upon his arrival and that there would be no press conference afterwards.

“We are restricted from giving information outside of what they authorized to be released,” Defense Undersecretary Eduardo Batac told the Inquirer by phone yesterday.
Batac was referring to Liang’s arrival statement issued by the Chinese Embassy on Saturday, in which the general said he hoped his visit would help build mutual trust between “friendly neighbors.”

“They are the ones controlling what we can release, we have to respect that,” Batac continued.

Liang’s visit marks the first by a ranking Chinese official under the Aquino administration amid fresh tension in the disputed Spratlys area in the South China Sea.

The DND earlier said Liang “oversees the day-to-day operations of the People’s Liberation Army” and “plays a key role in the shaping of the People’s Republic of China’s policies on national security.”

Batac said he had no information about the talking points in Monday’s meeting. “But basically it’s a goodwill visit,” he said.

The AFP offered a broad statement ahead of the meeting, saying it was “looking forward to fruitful and productive interaction with the Chinese defense officials on matters pertaining to military affairs.”