Aquino sends top DND exec for hushed up China meet

From the Daily Tribune (Apr 29): Aquino sends top DND exec for hushed up China meet

The Aquino administration appears to be saying one thing but doing another in the Palace insisting that the Philippines and China to wait for the International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea (Itlos) to settle a dispute on territorial claims over the South China Sea while Defense Undersecretary Honorio Azcueta was sent by President Aquino apparently to seek concessions with China.

The visit of Azcueta was unannounced but Chinese media said the Department of National Defense (DND) official has been meeting since Friday with top defense and military officials of China.

Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Chang Wanquan had a meeting yesterday with Azcueta.

The Chinese media was also sparse in describing the meeting between Azcueta and Chang.

“As neighbors across the sea, it is in the interest of both sides to maintain good neighborliness and boost pragmatic cooperation,” Chang said in an official statement.
“The two armies have an important responsibility in promoting bilateral friendliness and safeguarding regional stability,” the statement added.

The statement quoted Azcueta as saying the Philippine side is “committed to enhancing coope-ration in defense and security with China, for the smooth development of bilateral relations.”

On Saturday, Azcueta was supposedly with top Chinese military officials for the “4th national defense consultation on defense and security” between both countries in Beijing. Azcueta met Lt. Gen. Qi Jianguo, deputy chief of general staff of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) during what the Chinese media described as “consultation.”

“The two sides widely exchanged views on regional security situation, maritime security, relations between the two countries and the two militaries as well as issues of common concern,” it was reported.

Qi Jianguo expressed that the international and regional situations have changed greatly and the China-Philippines relations are in a special period, China’s local media said.

Under such background, the consultation on defense and security between the two countries has extraordinary significance, it added.

“Qi Jianguo told the Filipino guests that China consistently adheres to the neighboring diplomatic policy of ‘being a good neighbor and partner’ and hopes the Filipino side to join China’s efforts to push forward the improvement and development of the relations between the two countries and jointly safeguard the regional peace and stability,” it said.

“Azcueta said that Philippines attaches great importance to the relations with China and is willing to make joint efforts with the Chinese side to enhance the communication and dialogue as well as to promote the cooperation and exchanges between the defense departments of the two countries,” the Chinese media reported.
The meeting was held as the first Chinese tour ship to visit disputed South China Sea islands set sail, state media reported.

Plans to allow tourists to visit the Paracel Islands is the latest stage in China’s development of the territory, which has previously angered Vietnam and caused concern in Washington.

Vietnam and China have a longstanding territorial row over the Paracel Islands. Hanoi last month accused a Chinese vessel of firing on one of its fishing boats which had sailed in disputed waters in the area.

Up to 100 passengers paid a ticket price between 7,000 yuan ($1,135) and 9,000 yuan for the four-day voyage, which is set to become a monthly or twice monthly trip if the maiden trip proves successful, the Global Times said.

Only passengers in “good health, which includes having a normal weight” are permitted on the trip, the newspaper added, in a report which cites the Shanghai Morning Post.

The plan to allow cruise tours follows rapid development of infrastructure in a new city — Sansha — along with the establishment of an army garrison in the Paracels last year.

A named commentary in the Global Times defended the decision to allow tourists to visit the islands, which are known as Xisha in China.

“China’s Xisha tourism has nothing to do with its neighboring countries,” said Ju Hailong, a research fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies at Jinan University, in the southern city of Guangzhou.

“Those who want to manipulate China’s moves to make trouble are not admirers of international law and regional security.”

Officials earlier this month confirmed they would open up the Islands to tourism.
China has occupied the Paracels since a brief war with South Vietnam in 1974. It is a cluster of about 40 islets, sandbanks and reefs.

Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei and Malaysia all have rival claims to parts of the South China Sea, while the United States is also watching Beijing’s increased assertiveness.

In his address opening China’s parliament last month, former Premier Wen Jiabao said Beijing should “develop the marine economy... and safeguard China’s maritime rights and interests”.

China also demanded last Friday that the Philippine government withdraw its citizens who have been occupying some islands and reefs in the disputed South China Sea.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte, however, said the government will not heed the call made by China that the Philippines “withdraw all its nationals and facilities from China’s islands and reefs.”

“We will continue to exercise sovereignty over our territory,” she said.

Citing the Bajo de Masinloc off Zambales province, Valte said, “That’s ours.”
But three Chinese vessels have been “de facto” occupying the Bajo de Masinloc, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario earlier said.

Valte said that the Philippines as well as China would just have to wait for the development on the case filed before the Itlos.

In a statement posted on its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China accused the Philippines of trying to “cover in a cloak of legality its illegal occupation of China’s islands and reefs.”

China does not want to negotiate multilaterally with the claimant countries, preferring instead to talk with on a bilateral basis.

In the statement, China said it will never give up its claims on the islands, islets, reefs, buoys and rock formations in the region.

It also asked the Philippines to vacate a list of islands in the South China Sea.

China cited records showed that the Philippines is currently occupying eight Chinese islands and reefs: Loaita Island, Nanshan Island, Feixin Dao Island, Northeast Cay Island, Thitu Island, West York Island, Loaita Nan, and Commodore reef.       

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