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Tag: PH-China relations

Rebuilding damaged ties with China

‘We have to deal with ourselves first.’
Chito Sta. Romana, considered a China expert having lived in China for more than 30 years and worked as Beijing Bureau chief of ABC News, said Philippines-China relations are now at their lowest ebb since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1975.
“Know your opponent…”

Sta. Romana, together with Brig. Gen. (ret.) Jose Almonte, former National Security Adviser, were the speakers in last Wednesday’s general membership meeting of the Makati Business Club at Hotel Intercon in Makati.

The unfortunate deterioration of relations with a global superpower and an Asian neighbor started last April 8 when the Philippine Navy’s pride, BRP Gregorio del Pilar, a hand-me down from the United States, arrested Chinese fishermen in Panatag shoal, also known as Scarborough shoal, 124 nautical miles off Zambales.

A mishandling of the situation characterized by rhetorics from the Philippines’ high officials led to a standoff that lasted almost two months. The territorial dispute spilled over to economic relations with China rejecting banana exports from the Philippines and Chinese tourists cancelling their scheduled trips to the Philippines.