Domingo Lee at the Senate hearing.There’s one man that would be perfect to be President Aquino’s personal emissary to Taiwan to help smoothen relations strained by the killing by the members of the Philippine Coast Guard of a Taiwanese fisherman almost a month ago: Domingo Lee.
Domingo Lee, to those who have forgotten who he is, was Aquino’s choice as ambassador to China after Gloria Arroyo’s appointed ambassador who was extended by Aquino, Francisco Benedicto, was recalled.
Lee’s primary qualification for one of the most important diplomatic positions was, he was a family friend of the Aquinos. Despite his embarrassing interviews with the Commission on Appointment, Aquino was determined to send him to Beijing.
Until the Scarborough (also known as Bajo de Masinloc or Panatag) standoff happened in April 2012. Lee, himself, asked Aquino that his appointment be recalled.
There are two positive things that resulted in the ongoing standoff in the Scarborough Shoal.
One is the decision of President Aquino recall the appointment of family friend Domingo Lee as ambassador to China and two, the raising of the conflicting territorial claims to the International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea has been accelerated.
With the withdrawal of Lee’s appointment, the next question is, who will Aquino send to fill the long-vacant post in Beijing?
Three names have been mentioned.
BasilioThe first one is recently-retired Erlinda Basilio. A career foreign service officer, Basilio’s last position was foreign affairs undersecretary for policy under the Aquino administration, a position that she also held under the Arroyo administration. Briefly, while waiting for now Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario to assume the position, she served as acting foreign secretary.
Basilio’s calm demeanor masks a certain toughness that is needed in dealing with a bully like China. Basilio is a veteran in diplomatic pressures. She is not easily intimidated.
CruzAnother name mentioned is Luis T. Cruz, who is now our ambassador to South Korea.
Also a career officer,Cruz served as consul general in the Philippine Consulate General in Guangzhou, which he opened in 1997.
Cruz has the gift of “speaking his truth quietly and clearly” which is important in dealing with a pugnacious adversary.
Another name being floated is Chito Sta. Romana, former American Broadcasting Company news bureau in Beijing. He has retired from ABC and is now based in the Philippines.
It doesn’t matter at all if Domingo Lee was not familiar with the terms “hard power” and “soft power” and other common terms in diplomacy during the Commission on Appointments deliberation on his appointment as ambassador to the People’s Republic of China.
He will be the Filipino people’s representative to China because President Aquino wants it.
The 77-year old Lee is the childhood friend of the President’s father, the late Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr.
In a lunch meeting with Lee last Monday, he related how he got to be chosen as ambassador to China after the disastrous stint of former Ambassador Francisco Benedicto, Gloria Arroyo’s appointee but was retained by Aquino upon the recommendation by former Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo.
Lee getting a briefing on Diplomacy 101 at Senate CA hearing Nov 23, 2011Sen. Serge Osmeña III was so embarrassed by Domingo Lee’s ignorance about diplomacy that he appealed to President Aquino to withdraw Lee’s nomination as ambassador to China.
Related post: http://www.ellentordesillas.com/2011/08/16/will-lee-defend-ph-sovereignty-over-recto-bank-in-beijing/
But no, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, as reported by Philippine Star, said President Aquino has no plans at the moment to replace Lee as his nominee for the post of Philippine ambassador to China.
The reason, Lacierda said, was, “The government had not received objections from China with regard to the appointment of Lee.”
I’m glad that Lacierda also added, “We will leave it with the secretary of Foreign Affairs to comment on the statement of Senator (Sergio) Osmeña” because his statement waiting for an objection from China on the President’s choice of ambassador is worrisome.
Update: Domingo Lee was not confirmed by the Commission on Appointments last Aug. 24 which prevents him from assuming his post as ambassador to China before the state visit of President Aquino starting Aug. 30.
To justify his inclusion in the official delegation, the President named Lee presidential adviser for the China visit.
Domingo LeeDomingo Lee, President Aquino’s choice as ambassador to China, has been given briefing by the Department of Foreign Affairs in preparation for his taking up the post in Beijing last week of August in time for the President’s state visit to China starting Aug. 30 to Sept. 2.
There cannot be a discussion about Philippine-China relations without touching on the complex issue of conflicting claims in the Spratlys.
When the issue of sovereignty over West Philippine Sea came up, a source said, Lee said that would not be his priority because he will concentrate more on “business, business.”
Aquino has asked Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr to facilitate the confirmation of Lee next week and it is expected that would be done on Aug. 24.
Click here Lee’s koumintang membership : China expert Aileen Baviera mentioned Lee’s Koumintang membership in her book.
It’s not too late for President Aquino to recall the appointment of Domingo Y. Lee as ambassador to the People’s Republic of China.
Lee’s Taiwan connection is so well-entrenched, it will complicate further the Philippine’s delicate relations with one of the world’s superpowers.
A reliable source in the Chinese community said he knows that Lee, in his 70’s “is a card-carrying member of the Kuomintang.” He said he is not sure if he has resigned but what he understood of the party affiliation is that it’s a “lifetime commitment.”
Early this week, President Aquino signed the appointment of 17 career ambassadors to different foreign posts.
Foreign service veterans said they haven’t seen this big a bunch of appointments of career officers in the history of Philippine service. Needless to say, the career officers are very, very happy.
“This would not have been possible under (former Foreign Secretary) Alberto Romulo,” a career officer said adding that morale is high in the department with Secretary Albert del Rosario whom they describe as “conscientious and hands-on.”
I don’t have the complete list of the 17. But here are some of them: Ricky Manalo to London; Cristy Ortega to Paris;Vicky Bataclan to Belgium; Leslie Baja to Switzerland; Maynard Montealegre to Greece; Lourdes Morales to Netherlands; Leslie Gatan to Canada; Ellen Jaucian to Hungary;
