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27-Apr-12, 7:08 AM | Gloria Jane Baylon, Philippine News Agency

InterAksyon.com The online news portal of TV5

MANILA, Philippines No conflict is raging in the South China Sea for now, but the word war has begun to escalate between the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Chinese embassy in Manila.

In a statement Thursday afternoon, embassy spokesperson Zhang Hua said the Chinese side is shocked by DFA allegations that Ambassador Ma Keqing has relayed to Beijing incomplete, inaccurate and misleading information about her meetings on the Scarborough dispute with Philippine foreign officials in Manila.

Earlier, at a two-hour press conference, Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said the element of trust was lacking in DFAs series of meetings with the Chinese embassy in Manila, leading to inaccurate and misleading information on which Beijing later premised its more aggressive stance in the disputed territory.

But Zhang said his Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has made representations to the Philippine embassy in Beijing for these irresponsible remarks about the territorial dispute and claims of maritime jurisdiction over the shoal, known as Panatag/Baja de Masinloc to Philippine officials and Huangyan to the Chinese.

Neither Del Rosario nor DFA spokesperson Raul Hernandez could be reached for comments.

At the press conference, Del Rosario also said that he and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin are due to leave for Washington on Saturday, April 28, for the long-scheduled 2+2 meeting with their US counterparts, State Secretary Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta.

Part of Thursday's press briefing was on the Washington meeting, the first such format for a discussion of bilateral issues. The internationally-referred Scarborough Shoal would be in the agenda.

'Irresponsible remarks'

Original post:
Manila-Beijing word war escalates; 'Element of trust' missing in Philippine-China talks, says DFA