MANILA, Philippines — President Benigno Aquino III and Chinese
President Hu Jintao are expected to touch on the West Philippine Sea
dispute during the two-day Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders’
summit in Russia next week, officials said on Wednesday.
It will be the two leaders’ first meeting months after a tense
stand-off on Panatag Shoal in the West Philippine Sea and a year after
Aquino’s state visit to China in August 2011.
“I’m sure it will be raised by the other side. The Philippines will
not raise it,’’ Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Laura del Rosario told
reporters in a Malacañang briefing.
Should Hu raise the issue, Aquino would “explain to them what we’re
doing to de-escalate it’’ and reiterate the need to maintain economic
relations, she added. “The President will explain our position and what
we’re trying to do.’’
Secretary Edwin Lacierda, presidential spokesperson, welcomed the
meeting between the two leaders. “It will be good for the two heads of
state to speak to each other and it would be in the best interest of
both heads of state to discuss issues of mutual concern,’’ he said.
Otherwise, the agenda of the bilateral meeting between Aquino and Hu
would be about reinvigorating trade between the two countries, Del
Rosario said.
“It will be more like assuring each other that they should go back to
the starting point when everything was fine. I don’t want to
second-guess the President of China… If you look at the premise of
diplomatic relations, it’s basically maintaining the status quo of
peace,” she said.
Tensions flared up in the wake of China’s deployment of ships around
the resource-rich Panatag Shoal (Scarborough Shoal) in the West
Philippine Sea, internationally known as South China Sea.
Manila has been seeking a diplomatic, legal and political solution to
the dispute, which began when maritime authorities caught Chinese
fishermen with supposedly illegally harvested turtles and corals already
loaded onto their vessel.
China claims sovereignty over nearly all of the West Philippine Sea,
which is believed to sit atop vast amounts of oil and gas, is one of the
region’s most important fishing grounds, and is home to shipping lanes
that are vital to global trade.
The Philippines, Brunei Malaysia and Vietnam, and Taiwan claim parts of the sea.
Del Rosario conceded that it would take years for the dispute to be resolved.
Aquino is departing Sept. 7 to join world and economic leaders from the 21 member-countries in the region for the 20th Apec Economic Leaders’ Meeting on Vladivostok’s Russky Island from Sept. 8 to 9.
Topping their agenda are trade and liberalization, and regional economic integration; strengthening food security; establishing reliable supply chains; and cooperation to foster innovative growth. The Philippines will present its position on these key issues, officials said.
Apec has 21 members, which account for 40 percent of the world’s population, approximately 54 percent of the world’s gross domestic product and about 44 percent of world trade.
Aquino will also address the Apec Business Advisory Council (Abac) Dialogue with Leaders. Then, he will meet with leaders from China, Japan, Singapore and Chile on the sidelines of the summit before flying back to Manila on Sept. 9.
A lean delegation, including Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo and Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, will join the President.
After the turns of Indonesia next year and China in 2014, the Philippines will host the Apec leaders’ meeting in 2015. The venue will be determined by the Cabinet, according to Del Rosario.
