“I am not arguing that the Philippines give up its claims, but a way has to be found to deal with these questions, a way that does not involve derailing or poisoining its relationship with China because it will not get anywhere,” he said.
Jacques is the author of the 2009 bestseller, When China Rules the World, which asserts that “by 2027 China will overtake the United States as the world’s largest economy, and by 2050 its economy will be twice as large as that of the United States.”
In a United States-written script, President Aquino performed his role very well as the American dummy in Southeast Asia at the 21st Asean summit in Cambodia.
In a speech before leaders belonging to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the group’s dialogue partners that included the United States and China, Aquino urged the U.S. to be involved in the South China Sea dispute.
Parts of the speech:“It is especially vital to have the world’s largest national economy involved in the discussions considering the interconnectedness of our current milieu…
“Each one of our nations has a stake in the stability of Southeast Asia. The United States understands this and, for this reason, has chosen to work with us to ensure the peace and continuous advancement of our region.”
The Inquirer reported that Aquino said the US presence at the Asean summits “adds a special dimension to our regional discussions particularly on issues that have far-reaching political and economic implications.”
Chinese President Hu Jintao will turn over leadership to Vice President Xi Jinping.
One of the Philippines’ seasoned diplomats, Lauro Baja, formerly the country’s permanent representative to the United Nations talked to some members of media and shared his thoughts on how the Philippines should deal with the “new China.”
Baja, who also served as Foreign Affairs undersecretary for policy, thinks despite the change in leadership, China “will not be able to veer away too much from what is existing now. “
But, he said, “there is now a new dynamic in China, the news is now more vocal, the social media is more vocal and there is a greater degree of nationalism among people in the streets. As a matter of fact they now think and they may be rightly so that they are now the center of the world. “
Tuesday, Nov. 6 is Election Day in the United States of America.
The US continues to be a major influence to Filipinos, with many of us having relatives there. Media outfits and individuals are monitoring the race, a number of them taking sides.
Reports said the presidential race is tight between Barack Obama, a Democrat who is seeking a second term and Republican candidate Mitt Romney.
China, on Thursday, Nov. 8 will hold its 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in Beijing. Held every five years, the Chinese Embassy in Manila said there’s “a remarkable increase” of overseas journalists applying for accreditation for the event, compared to the number that covered the 17th Congress.
By Ellen Tordesillas, VERA Files
Lacierda, though, did not give details.
Trillanes said President Benigno S. Aquino III gave him the assignment verbally and could not produce any documents to prove he was acting in an official capacity. The role was fraught with deniability, with Malacanang even saying it was Trillanes who sought the job.
Based on various interviews with Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario, senior foreign affairs officials, military officials, Chinese sources and with Trillanes himself, VERA Files assembled the following timeline of Trillanes’ involvement in the dispute between the Philippines and China over Panatag, also called Scarborough Shoal:
April 8, 2012
Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV on Wednesday accused Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile of being a “GMA lackey” for supposedly rushing a bill that would cut…
There is no word yet if Roxas has accepted the invitation.
Sept. 20 -Secretary del Rosario recommends Secretary Roxas as special envoy to the 9th China-Asean Expo
Read story in comments.
ASEAN leaders expected to attend the Expo include Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra , Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Myanmar President U Thein Sein.
President Aquino is going to Brunei on Sunday to attend the wedding of a daughter of Sultan Bolkiah.
China is being politically astute in inviting Roxas.
The statement released by the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs last Sept. 10 insulted Philippine media.
The statement:
Ambassador ‘loved Libya so much’
An Arabic speaker who loved Libya and understood it deeply, Stevens died along with three other Americans when an angry mob stormed the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi. He was the first U.S. ambassador to be killed in the line of duty since 1979.
The consulate was one of several American diplomatic missions in the Middle East to face protests Tuesday after the release online of a film mocking Islam and depicting the Muslim Prophet Mohammed as a child molester, womanizer and ruthless killer.
Last Tuesday’s celebration of Vietnam’s 67th National Day had a concert featuring Filipino and Vietnamese songs as well as classics and Broadway hits.
Violinist Bui Cong Duy opened the concert with spellbinding Libersfreud (Love’s Joy) by Friedrich “Fritz” Kreisler. After a Vietnamese piece, Nho Que (Missing my Home Village), he did Hatinggabi by Antonio Molina.