Manila: The Philippines has expressed concern over the reported fall of debris from a Chinese rocket into its waters, urging spacefaring nations to act responsibly and safeguard the interests of other states. In a press briefing here Tuesday, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro read the Department of Foreign Affairs’ (DFA) official statement on the Aug. 4 launch of China’s Long March 12 rocket, which left debris within Philippine maritime territory.

According to Philippines News Agency, the Philippines is calling for all spacefaring states to conduct their activities in a manner consistent with responsible behavior and with due regard to the rights and interests of other states. Castro quoted DFA Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro emphasizing the importance of these practices. She also highlighted the 2023 agreement between President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Chinese President Xi Jinping, which was aimed at maintaining appropriate communication mechanisms for handling rocket launches and their post-launch effects.

The department is deferring comments on technical and safety matters to the Philippine Space Agency and other concerned agencies. Castro noted that Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) Deputy Director General Gay Jane Perez assessed the incident and found the debris drop zone somewhat close to Philippine territory.

She added that technical teams are still evaluating any possible effects on the Philippines, but at the moment, there is no cause for alarm. When asked about potential government actions, Castro stated that they would first verify if there were any violations, but as of now, there doesn’t appear to be any.