China hopes next president keeps PHL ‘independent’

CHINA hopes the next Philippine president will continue President Duterte’s “independent foreign policy,” a senior ranking Chinese politician and retired diplomat said.

Madame Fu Ying, chairperson of the influential foreign affairs committee of the Chinese parliament, said China, the Philippines and the region benefited from Duterte’s pivot towards China when he assumed presidency in 2016.

Duterte’s “independent” foreign policy entails being less dependent on the United States, while improving relations with China, Russia and India, Philippine Ambassador to Beijing Jose Sta. Romana earlier explained.

“[Duterte’s] independent foreign policy has won him respect from countries in the region, including from China, and he is willing to face the difficult issues with China, and find proper solutions, and he was able to reach consensus with the Chinese leaders, and allowing the relationship to come out of a difficult time and gain vitality,” Fu Ying said during the recent virtual conference billed as the 5th Manila Forum for Philippine-china Relations.

“It’s not only good for the two countries, two peoples, but also good for the region. So I hope that in the future, whoever is succeeding him will be able to wisely, courageously, and responsibly carry out Philippine independent foreign policy,” Fu Ying added.

Fu Ying had served as the Chinese Ambassador to Manila for two years from 1998 to 2000, at the time when relations between Manila and Beijing were strained as a result of China’s increased occupation of the Panganiban Reef (international name: Mischief Reef) in the West Philippine Sea. She was also appointed as the Chinese ambassador to Australia and the United Kingdom, before being promoted as vice foreign minister of China. Now, she chairs the foreign affairs committee of the National People’s Congress, and US think tanks have described her as a “senior figure in a growing number of Us-china interactions.”

China’s State Counsellor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi also noted that Duterte’s pivot to China was a “strategic decision to improve the relations” between Manila and Beijing.

“Rainbows appeared after the rainstorms,” Wang Yi said in a recorded speech played during the virtual forum.

Fu Ying said she has been watching the recent spat between the Philippines and China over the West Philippine Sea, referring to reports of Chinese Coast Guard firing water cannon on a Philippine boat that transported food to Filipino soldiers stationed at Ayungin Shoal (international name: Second Thomas Shoal) last November. Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. protested the incident in “strongest terms” to a point of mentioning the treaty alliance the Philippines has with the United States.

“I have been watching the recent occasional hyping up of the disputes caused by some incidents related to some shoals in China’s Nansha Islands [also known as the Spratly Islands] and feel a bit concerned, hoping the two sides would properly handle it and avoid rolling back the mutual trust that both sides have worked so hard to build in the past years,” Fu Ying said.

Fu Ying suggested that both sides “stay firmly on the positive side” of the relationship and put the Spratly Islands dispute “at an appropriate place and properly handled through dialogues.” The Chinese foreign minister went further, saying that both sides should prevent the Spratly island issue from affecting or “taking hostage” the overall bilateral relationship.

She warned that the West Philippine Sea dispute will be used as an election issue in the Philippines in the upcoming presidential elections in May this year.

“I am aware that the election season is unfolding in Manila. The past experience shows that during such time, some people tend to bring up the disputes with China or try to stand tough against China which appear to be ‘politically correct.’

“Some Filipino scholars are expressing concerns of such tendency, stating that the disputes should not become a defining issue for our relations.

“I agree with such views and hope those who have foresight and stand for China-philippines friendship can speak up and provide positive influence and we should work together to keep our relations on the right track,” Fu Ying said.

Wang Yi reassured the Philippines that “China will absolutely not use its strength to bully smaller countries, and we never believe in a winner-takes-all approach.”

“We hope to work with the Philippines to find ways to properly manage and resolve the issue in the spirit of goodwill and pragmatism. We need to come up with the resolve as soon as possible to advance joint development without prejudice to either side’s rights and claims, so that we can turn the South China Sea issue from a challenge into an opportunity and a positive factor conducive to the development of the Philippines and the friendship between our two peoples,” Wang Yi added.