China, RP dodge war threat quip

From the Daily Tribune (May 23): China, RP dodge war threat quip

Chinese and Philippines officials sidestepped claims by President Duterte that Chinese President Xi Jinping had threatened to go to war over the disputed South China Sea.

Duterte, who met with Xi and Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing last week, said Friday the leaders had raised conflict as an option to resolving their competing claims to the waters.

China’s government on Monday did not directly comment on Duterte’s version of the leaders’ conversation, but said it would “work with the Philippines to peacefully resolve disputes through friendly consultation.”

China sought to “deepen cooperation in other fields so bilateral relations can move forward in a sound steady way and also contribute to regional peace stability,” China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Hua Chunying said.

“I really said it to their face. That is ours and we intend to drill oil there,” said Duterte, who claimed he made the comments public in response to domestic criticism he was being too weak with China over the row.

“And they told me: ‘Well, we’re friends. We do not want to quarrel with you. We want to maintain the present warm relationship. But if you force the issue we’ll go to war.’” The rival claims to the South China Sea, which is believed to sit atop vast oil and gas deposits, have for decades made it one of Asia’s potential military flashpoints.

China claims most of the sea, a key waterway for global shipping, and has reclaimed disputed reefs and installed military facilities on them.

Malaysia, Brunei, Vietnam and Taiwan also have overlapping claims.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) ruled in July last year that China’s claims to most of the sea were without legal basis, in a case filed by the Philippines under Duterte’s predecessor, Benigno Aquino.

But China vowed to ignore the ruling and warned the Philippines against trying to use the verdict as leverage.

Duterte, who began his six-year term in June last year, agreed to take a soft stance with China, claiming that if he did it might lead to war.

Duterte has also sought closer ties with China to win billions of dollars of Chinese investments and loans, while loosening the Philippines’ long-standing alliance with the United States.

Military mismatch

Mr. Duterte, in an interview with the Moscow-based news outfit Russia Today (RT), said the Philippines is not capable of facing off with China through military force.

“Do you expect me to fight China in a war? Do I have the cruise missiles for hitting them?” he said.
“If the conflict happens, it’s going to be a massacre,” he added.

Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella, in a statement, said the government will not challenge China in an aggressive way, saying that it is more important to settle differences peacefully.

“The Philippines and China are committed to peaceful resolutions to socio-economic and political challenges,” Abella said.

“The first and last priority of President Duterte is the national interest and the well being of the Filipino,” he added.

“We are very clear that we are not giving up our claim of sovereignty and sovereign rights over certain islands in the South China Sea. At the same time, these matters are pursued in the context of maintaining peace and prosperity in the region,” he said.

The Palace official pointed out that maritime disputes are being settled in ongoing dialogs between Beijing and Manila officials.

“The recently concluded meeting on the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism is one platform for confidence-building measures, to address issues pertaining to the South China Sea,” Abella said.
“Matters are pursued in the context of maintaining peace and prosperity in the region,” he added.

No need for protest — Cayetano

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano does not see the need to file a diplomatic protest against Xi’s statement as told by Mr. Duterte.

There’s “no bullying, or pushing around” he said, explaining what transpired between the two leaders was not the result of any misstep, “it’s different when you talk of conflict that has (an element of) bullying.”

“It is but natural that when you talk about peace and when you talk about conflict, the word war may or may not come up. I’m not confirming (nor) denying,” he added.

Cayetano said the talks was actually about how to avoid conflict, how to increase mutual trust and mutual respect. “There was no language or even tone that would lead any of the two presidents to believe that there was disrespect for them or their country.”

After Duterte’s revelation of what was said during his meeting with Xi, the legislative branch and even Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio demanded that the government filed a diplomatic protest but Cayetano said “peace – internal and external, national security and regional stability” is part of the core and belief programs of Mr. Duterte.

Cayetano said he “expects the ups and downs, the arguments, people and the critics” of the relations between China and the Philippine but the public should understand and “trust the captain of the ship.”

He noted that when former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario was at the helm, “many disagreed with him, within the department, within the cabinet, not everyone agreed. But when President (Benigno) Aquino made a decision and del Rosario was given the green light, he did his best.”

“And he is a patriot, to be able to move forward our claim,” Cayetano added.

Del Rosario during the Aquino administration led the Philippines’ filing of the arbitration case against China before the PCA in the Hague, Netherlands.

Cayetano acknowledged this, “but we have a new captain of the ship which is President Duterte,” he said, warning that this leader’s language may continue if the criticisms “to the extent of trying to let him change course that would affect the results” do not stop.

“The destination is the same but how he wants to thread those waters are different,” he added.

Cayetano to brief Senate

Cayetano, a former senator, said he’s set to hold a briefing with his former colleagues to clarify the revelation made by Mr. Duterte.

“There are times when briefings would do good and I would like them to know the direction and maybe part of the strategy to the extent I can reveal,” he said.

“The senators were asking us to protest. I’m confident that the decision will change or they will understand the context of the President’s pronouncement.”

Cayetano clarified that he doesn’t want to preempt the lawmakers, but he will brief them

“If they still feel calling for us to issue a protest, that’s their privilege. Right now I want to call them and tell them what happened because I don’t have a clearance from the President (to reveal) what was discussed. If it’s restricted, classified, I can’t just reveal,” he said.

While he cannot disclose specifics of what transpired between the two state leaders’ discussion, Cayetano mentioned that the general atmosphere during the talk between Duterte and Xi was “very frank”.

“The mutual respect could be felt and the admiration of President Duterte to President Xi and (vice versa).”

Cayetano believes that “they would not be able to speak that frank to each other if there’s no trust being developed. Not are we saying we are being naïve because there trust, no. Our negotiators, our ambassador who took the lead and our executive director, will fight tooth and nail to protect our interest, and that’s very clear.”

Last Sunday, Senator Francis Pangilinan urged the government to file a diplomatic protest against China for threatening war against the Philippines over the maritime row.

“Did China really threaten the Philippines with war after President Duterte asserted the Southeast Asian nation’s sovereignty over disputed territory in the West Philippine Sea? If so, then Foreign Affairs Secretary Cayetano should issue a diplomatic protest for this threat,” Pangilinan said.

Carpio also said the government can raise the issue before an international court, as the threat to use force is a violation under international laws.

According to Pangilinan, who is also president to the Liberal Party, this subject should be immediately tackled in a Senate hearing.

He said LP supports Senator Bam Aquino’s Senate Resolution 158, which called on the Senate committees on foreign relations and economic affairs to conduct deliberation on the administration’s foreign policy direction.

“The hearing should tackle not only this issue, but also the details of the $24-billion loans and investments recently sealed with China, as well as the Duterte administration’s decision to reject aid from the European Union (EU),” Pangilinan said.

Drilon insists on protest

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said the Philippine government should immediately elevate Xi’s threat to the United Nations.”

“This is a serious case. I call on the government not to take it lightly,” he added.

“The Chinese President’s threat is a gross violation of the United Nations’ Charter,” he said.

“Article 2, Section 4 of the UN Charter states that “all members shall refrain in their institutional relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity of any State, or in any other manner inconsistent with the purpose of the United Nations,” Drilon said.

Drilon said the country should stand up to China not allow “our country to be bullied and threatened.”

http://www.tribune.net.ph/headlines/china-rp-dodge-war-threat-quip