DFA chief presses US to 'substantiate Asia rebalance policy'

From InterAksyon (May 14): DFA chief presses US to 'substantiate Asia rebalance policy'



The status of Mischief Reef as of 20 April 2015. PHOTO FROM AFP-PAO

While the United States military has made a strong statement that it is considering sending US aircraft and ships to assert freedom of navigation around growing Chinese-made artificial islands in the disputed South China Sea, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario continued to press the US political leadership “to urgently give more focus to recent developments in the South China Sea and provide substance to its Asia rebalance policy.”

Del Rosario, who is in the US, attended the launch of the US-Philippines Strategic Initiative (USPSI) on May 12 at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington DC and later met with US congressional leaders.

In a news release, the secretary said the Philippines remains supportive of the US government’s rebalance towards Asia.   

The US-Philippines Strategic Initiative, a joint project by CSIS and the ADR Institute, aims to highlight the enduring alliance “through sustainable and strategic engagement on high-impact global and regional issues.” It is expected to produce policy recommendations that would enable the Philippines-US alliance to effectively deal with current political and economic realities.

Del Rosario lauded the effort in his written remarks, describing it as “deliberate, timely, and time-bound.”

“At the core of this Initiative is the realization that the United States must remain an active player in strengthening the regional architecture for stability, security, and development. The Philippines, in turn, contributes to and has an important role to play in maintaining that regional stability,” he said.

The Philippines is the oldest treaty ally of the United States in Asia. In recent years, the two countries have been closely working together to reinvigorate their bilateral relations within the context of the US rebalance policy and in light of new issues that have far-reaching implications for the region’s security and progress. Among these issues are the maritime disputes plaguing the region, including those that concern the South China Sea.

‘The most important issue today’

“The South China Sea dispute is the most important issue today,” Del Rosario said.

The Philippines is advocating a peaceful settlement of the disputes in the South China Sea in accordance with universally recognized principles of international law. This position has generated broad support from the United States and the rest of the international community.

The Secretary also underscored the economic and people-to-people ties that bind the Philippines and the United States as strongly as their cooperation in the field of defense and security.  

The audience was composed of around 150 people, including CSIS fellows, Philippine and US government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, and media representatives. He was joined in the panel by Mr. William Cohen, Chairman and CEO of The Cohen Group, a global consultancy firm. Mr. Ernest Bower, Sumitro Chair for Southeast Asia Studies and co-director of the Pacific Partners Initiative at CSIS, moderated the discussion.

The Secretary last visited CSIS in September 2012 during The Philippines Conference.

Push for more US congressional support

After the launch of the USPSI, Secretary Del Rosario proceeded to a reception in honor of the US-Philippines Friendship Caucus in the US Capitol. He reiterated to US legislators the vital role of the Philippines-US alliance in preserving peace, stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific.

The Secretary then briefed the Caucus members on Philippine issues, including the recent developments in the South China Sea, the post-Haiyan rehabilitation and rebuilding efforts and the status of the Filipino communities across the US.

“It is through the tireless efforts of the US-Philippines Friendship Caucus that bilateral relations gain more meaning and relevance to peoples’ lives,” Del Rosario said.

Del Rosario separately met with US Senators John McCain and Bob Corker on May 11 as part of his two-day visit to Washington DC.

The secretary thanked the two legislators for their leadership in pursuing continued dynamic engagement with Asia and reiterated the Philippines’ support for the US rebalance policy. He also encouraged the forging of bipartisan cooperation in the US legislature with regard to the urgent need to address the worsening situation in the South China Sea.

Meeting with State Department officials

Del Rosario met with US Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken on May 12 during his two-day visit to Washington DC.

Our relationship with the United States remains a cornerstone of our foreign policy. As treaty allies and strategic partners, the Philippines and the US stand together to promote common interests. It is critical that both our countries continue to work together to maintain the dynamism of our alliance,” Del Rosario said.

Del Rosario and Blinken discussed the US rebalance policy towards the Asia-Pacific region. They also exchanged views on recent developments in the South China Sea, which have direct implications for regional peace, security, and stability.

The practice of sending ships and aircraft near the islands would be in line with regular US military "Freedom of Navigation" operations, which it conducted last year to challenge maritime claims of 19 countries, including China.

Recent reclamations by China

Five countries as well as China lay claim to parts of the Spratly archipelago. They are Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Recent satellite images have shown that since about March 2014, China has conducted reclamation work at seven sites in the Spratlys and is constructing a military-sized air strip on one artificial island and possibly a second on another.

Other images have suggested that China is working to extend another airstrip to that length in the Paracel Islands further north in the potentially energy-rich South China Sea, a vital shipping route through which $5 trillion of trade passes every year.

Reuters reported last week China had added about 2,000 acres of land since the start of 2014, according to one US estimate.

China drew condemnation from Japan and the United States in 2013 when it imposed an Air Defense Identification Zone, in which aircraft are supposed to identify themselves to Chinese authorities.

The United States responded by flying B-52 bombers through the zone in a show of force.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/110526/dfa-chief-presses-us-to-substantiate-asia-rebalance-policy