Tag: China

China to Aquino: We fought Hitler in WWII

Published by Ellen on February 8, 2014

Pres. Aquino warns the world against China in a New York Times interview.

By Ellen Tordesillas, VERA Files

China on Friday reminded President Aquino it had fought on the side of the Allied Powers against fascist Japan and Germany in World War II, after Aquino likened China’s encroachment into the South China Sea with Adolf Hitler’s hegemonic moves in World War II.

In a press briefing, China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hong Lei said, “As an unwavering upholder of international justice, China made huge sacrifice and indelible historical contribution to the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War. It is inconceivable and unreasonble to place China-Philippines South China Sea disputes in the same category with the WWII history.”

In an interview with New York Times Tuesday, Aquino had called on the international community to support the Philippine position of resisting China’s hegemonic moves in the South China Sea and not to make the mistake of appeasing the Asian superpower.

The unraveling of President Benigno Aquino III

Published by Ellen on February 6, 2014

President Aquino in the New York Times interview

In a meeting with Vietnamese Defense Minister Gen. Phung Quang Thanh in August last year, President Aquino asked the visiting official how they are able to maintain good relations with China despite conflicting territorial claims.

(Despite a ferocious battle over the Paracels Islands in the South China Sea 40 years ago that killed more than 70 Vietnamese soldiers,China and Vietnam established a hotline to deal with fishery incidents in South China Sea waters following the meeting of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang in Beijing last June.)

Thanh told Aquino that almost every day, personnel of Vietnamese Navy battle Chinese fishermen who venture into disputed areas in the South China. Arrests are made, diplomatic protests are filed. But, he said, “We don’t talk to media.”

For a while, Aquino seemed to have taken to heart the lesson from the Vietnamese defense minister. He was a voice of moderation when China’s sole aircraft carrier sailed to the South China Sea.

Aquino last to know about canceled China trip

Published by Ellen on September 1, 2013

By Ellen Tordesillas,VERA Files

President Benigno S. Aquino III at the 27th Apolinario Mabini Awardees on Aug. 28 during which he said he was visiting China on Sept. 3.

Early last week, President Aquino was telling everybody—from the Vietnamese defense minister to guests at the 2013 Apolinario Mabini Awards in Malacanang—that he was pushing through with his Sept. 3 visit to China.

The media reported the trip on Wednesday, and quoted the President saying, “Bibiyahe ho tayo next week. Mahaba hong biyahe sa China. Alis akong ala-singko ng umaga; balik ho nang ala-singko ng hapon. Ayaw nating ma-overstay ang welcome natin doon (We are traveling next week. It will be a long trip to China. I will leave 5 a.m., back 5 p.m. We don’t want to wear out their welcome).”

What Aquino did not know then that he was really not welcome at this time in China, which had already canceled the visit the previous week.

Sources say the President could have been spared the diplomatic embarrassment—or “loss of face,” as the Chinese would say—had officials in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Malacañang only acted fast enough and followed up Chinese efforts to arrange the visit, plans for which began more than a month ago.

U.S to PH: stop anti-China rhetorics

Published by Ellen on August 11, 2013

Pres. Aquino greets Col. Stephen Neary, commander of the US Marines participating in 2011 Balikatan exercises.From Exercise Balikatan facebook.

Many , including high-ranking Philippine officials, like to think that increased presence of American military in the Philippines, which is a subject of talks between the two countries starting today, is a commitment by the Americans to defend the Philippines in case of an armed conflict in the West Philippine Sea, where a number of islands are being claimed wholly or partly by the Philippines, Brunei, China,Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Those who have taken these view will be disappointed because the U.S has taken a neutral position in the conflicting claims in the South China Sea (part of it is referred to as West Philippine Sea) and has always been consistent in urging for a peaceful resolution of the conflicting claims.

The Obama administration has decided to rebalance its military forces from Middle East to Asia, in what is seen by analysts as a move to contain China’s hegemony in the region.

Stopping China by engagement

Published by Ellen on June 9, 2013

Admiral Locklear being received by President Aquino.

In Bangkok last week, the commander of the United States Pacific Command, Admiral Samuel Locklear, said the usual line that their Asian allies expect from visiting American officials: we will oppose China’s expansionism.

“We will oppose the change of status quo by force of anyone,” Locklear said referring to the situation in South China Sea where China is reported to be positioning in Ayungin Reef, just 25 miles away from Mischief Reef, 130 miles away from Palawan, that China occupied in 1994.

But just like other American officials, Locklear did not commit that the US will fight China if the latter gets embroiled in violent confrontation with any of the countries in this part of the world. That’s because, in truth, the US will not because it values relations with China.

Who will PNoy send to Beijing?

Published by Ellen on April 19, 2012

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.

The 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.

Another 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.

Lee didn’t make it as envoy to China

Published by Ellen on August 28, 2011

domingo lee photo — Going to China but not as ambassador yet

The Commission on Appointments was not able to take up the nomination of Domingo Lee as ambassador to China in its hearing last Wednesday so he won’t be able to assume the post in time for the visit of President Aquino starting tomorrow up to Sept. 2.

To justify Lee’s inclusion in the official delegation, President Aquino appointed him “presidential adviser for the China visit.”

We are sure the Chinese will perfectly understand.

The next CA meeting will be on Sept. 7. If any member of the CA invokes Sec. 20 (Suspension of action by the Commission on any nomination), Lee would have to wait for the November hearing for him to take on his much-coveted post which he got with a lot of help from presidential brother-in-law Eldon Cruz.

That should give him time to make his assets and income tax payments jibe because we heard a CA member noticed the big discrepancy and would like to ask him about it.

Spratlys in exchange for free freedom of drug mules?

Published by Ellen on February 20, 2011

I’m trying hard to understand why reason seem to have left the Aquino government in the case of the Filipinos who are in China’s death row for drug trafficking.

Aquino sent Vice President Jejomar Binay to Beijing last week to appeal to the leadership to spare the lives of Ramon Credo, 42, Sally Villanueva, 32, and Elizabeth Batain, 38, who were scheduled to be executed by lethal injection today.

The three were sentenced to death for smuggling 4 kilograms to 6.8 kilograms of heroin to in 2008. They were originally five but diplomatic sources said further investigations showed that the two had minor roles in the drug syndicate than the three.

RP faces new tensions with China over Spratly

Published by Ellen on September 21, 2010

by Tessa Jamandre VERA Files EVEN before the diplomatic tension created by the Aug. 23 hostage crisis has subsided, President Beningo Aquino III will have…

Natuto ba tayo?

Published by Ellen on August 29, 2010

Dumadaan sa matinding pagsubok ngayon ang pamahalaang Aquino dahil sa trahedya na nangyari noong Lunes sa Rizal Park kung saan walong turistang galing Hongkong ang namatay sa palpak na operasyun ng pamahalaan sa panghu-hostage ng isang napatalsik na pulis.

Hindi lang ang mga pulis ang lumabas na palpak. Pumalpak rin ang Malacañang at Department of Foreign Affairs sa tawag ni Donald Tsang, chief Executive ng Hong Kong Special Administrative Region na sakop ng higanteng People’s Republic of China.

Hindi pinakausap kay Pangulong Aquino si Tsang nang tumawag ito ng hapon pa lang. Una sabi ang aide ni Aquino na nakatanggap ng tawag ay hindi kilala kung sino si Tsang. Umiba na ang linya ng Malacanang ngayon. Sabi kilala naman daw si Tsang kaya lang hindi raw sila sigurado kung si Tsang nga dahil sa trunkline tumawag at wala naman daw pasabi muna. Kaya itinuro sa Department fo Foreign Affairs.