China detained over 100 Filipino nationals for illegal work/living. Philippines cites 2013 consular pact for 4-day notification, urging due process.
Tags:Source: OT-Team(G), Rappler, 外交部
China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs earlier said over 100 Filipino nationals were 'taken in accordance with the law' over alleged migration law violations.
The Philippines on Thursday, August 13, reminded China of a 2013 agreement to notify consular posts within days of the arrest of its nationals as it “noted” the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA)’s statement on the arrest of over 100 Filipino nationals.
“The Department is in close coordination with our Embassy in Beijing and our Consulates-General to verify the circumstances of the arrests, ascertain the exact number and status of those apprehended, ensure that due process is observed, and extend consular assistance as needed,” said the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in a late Thursday statement.
No other details about the arrests were made available as of Thursday evening.
On August 10, responding to a question from state-run Global Times, MFA spokesperson Guo Jiakun said that “actions have been taken in accordance with the law against over 100 Philippine nationals for illegally working or living in China.”
“We call on Chinese authorities to safeguard the welfare of the arrested Filipinos and to promptly notify our Foreign Service Posts of their arrest and detention, consistent with the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and the 2013 Philippines-China Consular Agreement,” added the DFA.
The 2013 agreement states that the host country must notify the other country’s consulate post within four days “of the fact and reasons for which the national has been detained, arrested, or deprived of freedom by any means,” whether or not the arrested person makes that request.
That means that if a Filipino national is arrested or detained in China, Chinese authorities ought to inform either the Philippine embassy in Beijing or any of its various consulates of the nature of that arrest or detention. Filipino authorities are expected to do the same if a Chinese national is arrested in the Philippines.
“The Philippines respects China’s sovereign right to enforce its immigration laws, as it does the right of every state to enforce its own laws on foreign nationals within its jurisdiction, in accordance with due process and established legal procedure,” added the DFA.
Earlier Report:
The case was first disclosed by China’s Foreign Ministry on August 10, when spokesperson Guo Jiakun responded to a question from the Global Times regarding reports that some Philippine nationals in China had been investigated for suspected legal violations.
Global Times: Some Philippine nationals in China were investigated and handled recently for suspicion of violating the law. Can you share more details? Can we see this as China’s response to the Philippines’ frequent detention of Chinese nationals?
Guo Jiakun: China’s national immigration authorities have made consistent efforts to strengthen supervision of foreigners illegally entering, living or working in China and carried out special operations in accordance with the law. Actions have been taken in accordance with the law against over 100 Philippine nationals for illegally working or living in China. While carrying out the special operations, our immigration staff acted in a standard and civil manner and ensured the protection of the rights and interests of the foreign nationals concerned.
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