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The Philippines is exploring deeper cooperation with Taiwan on protecting undersea cables and addressing "gray zone" activity, despite Manila's “one China” policy, which recognizes Beijing and not ‌Taipei, a Philippine diplomat said yesterday.

The Philippines and Taiwan have repeatedly complained about Chinese activities designed to pressure the countries without direct confrontation. China claims Taiwan as its own and has overlapping claims with Taiwan and the Philippines in the South China Sea.

Felipe F. Carino III, Manila's deputy chief of mission in Washington, told a seminar that this "pragmatic and practical approach" with Taiwan was necessary to protect mutual interests in the Bashi Channel between Taiwan and the Philippines.

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The Philippines and Taiwan were exploring "practical and more pragmatic approaches in cooperation, including knowledge-sharing and capacity building," Carino said. "We see this cooperation leading towards ... addressing the gray zone issues in our part of the world."

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At the same seminar, Deputy Representative to the US Andrea Yang (楊懿珊) referred to the jailing in Taiwan of a Chinese ship captain over damage to an undersea cable.

Taiwan would put more resources into developing uncrewed systems to improve maritime surveillance, she said.

Interference with undersea cables was an issue that should be taken up by the UN, which should consider mechanisms to prevent "bad behavior," Yang said.