Palace keeps up heat on China

From the Daily Tribune (Nov 24): Palace keeps up heat on China

The Aquino administration continues to raise the heat on China yesterday over the martime dispute despite the diplomatic initiatives of the Chinese in the recent twin high-profile fora Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Leaders Meeting in Kuala Lumpur and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit in Manila.

In both events, China had sought to ease tensions with its neighbors and had offered $10 billion in infrastructure loans to Asean members during the Malaysian Summit.

The Palace said the govenment expects to convince the Netherlands-based Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), an international tribunal supported by the United Nations (UN), in its arguments to establish its territorial claims over parts of the South China Sea which China says it owns historically.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda expressed confidence on the position that the country’s lawyers will take in defending the country’s case before the arbitral tribunal.

This amid the ongoing word war between the Philippines and China over maritime entitlements, with the former being backed by the United States as a treaty ally.

Both Manila and Washington directed its fire on Beijing during the summit over the weekend.

“We are moving toward the merits of the case filed in The Hague, there would be presentations on that. It is the substance of the petition which will be heard by the arbitral tribunal. We are very confident that our lawyers will be able to present a convincing case,” Lacierda said.

“We have emphasized the rule of law, we have been consistent with the Asean or the arbitral tribunal on the primacy of the rule of law”, he added. On the other hand, the Palace official did not give any details on the presentation of the Philippine legal team as Lacierda said he is not privy to the discussions regarding the South China Sea.

China is firm about not honoring the tribunal’s proceedings, saying the tribunal’s decision is not binding to it.

China has called the move a “unilateral” action on Manila’s part. China had criticized the Philippines for refusing to sit down for a bilateral talk on the dispute.

Asked on whether China’s tack would affect the pending decision of the PCA, Lacierda said with or without China, the arbitral tribunal would rule on the the case the Philippines presented to it.

“It’s in the procedural rules of the arbitral tribunal. They already cited jurisdictional issues of the case, so notwithstanding their non-participation, the tribunal will push through in hearing the merits of the case,” he said.

There are other claimants in the South China Sea besides the Philippines and China. These claimants are Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Taiwan, all of which are members of the Asean, which has recently concluded its annual summit.

Aquino was visibly aloof on Chinese President Xi Jinping during the Asean Summit and the Apec forum that the Philippines hosted.

Aquino said his not being too close with Xi was due to a language barrier.

“It is really hard to talk when you have different languages. But, sorry, I read somewhere that we are aloof. We are not aloof. It’s just that if there’s no translator, there’s no dialog,” he said.

During the Apec leaders’ November 18 plenary session with members of the Apec Business Advisory Council (Abac ), Aquino was seen conversing and walking beside Chilean President Michelle Bachelet. To Bachelet’s left was President Xi.

All eyes were on Aquino and Xi amid the territorial dispute between the two countries on the South China Sea, parts of which Manila refers to as the West Philippine Sea.

Aquino issued a slew of statements against China during the Asean summit apparently making up for his lost chance during the Apec forum.

China seeks deeper ties with Asean

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang during the Summit in Kuala Lumpur called on East Asian nations to forge closer economic ties and promote political trust to ensure stable growth in the region amid global economic slowdown.

Speaking at the 10th East Asia Summit (EAS), Li said the economically integrating region should treasure the hard-earned desirable situation to further contribute to world peace, stability and growth.

He suggested that the participants stick to the EAS’ nature of a “leaders-led strategic forum,” to Asean’s central role, to advancing on the two wheels of economic development and political security, and to promoting coordinated development of different mechanisms.

In a three-pronged proposal for future East Asian summitry, Li first called for faster regional economic integration so as to make East Asia a stable growth pole for the world economy.

The AseanE conomic Community (AEC), the first sub-regional community in Asia, is expected to take shape by the end of this year. Beijing has described the development as “a milestone in regional integration.”

China, Li said, is willing to enhance the dovetailing of its development strategy with those of Asean in order to realize the vision of forging an East Asian economic community by 2020.

He also called on financial institutions in the region to form an association to facilitate cooperation.
Meanwhile, the Chinese premier called for active political and security dialog and the establishment of a security architecture suitable for the region.

“All parties should strengthen communication and coordination on their respective development strategies and policies so as to promote political trust,” Li said.

Also, the premier proposed that nations in the region enhance dialogue and exchanges to promote harmonious co-existence of different civilizations.

Countries in the region should deepen communication and cooperation in areas of education, science and technology, culture, media, think tanks and youth, he said.

http://www.tribune.net.ph/headlines/palace-keeps-up-heat-on-china