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| Duterte during his Araw ng mga Bayani speech. |
The SUN Exclusive
President Rodrigo Duterte may visit Beijing before the end
of this year if the ongoing informal talks between the Philippines and China
graduate into formal negotiations, sources in Manila have indicated.
And if Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III succeeds in convincing him, Duterte might even pass by Hong Kong.
And if Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III succeeds in convincing him, Duterte might even pass by Hong Kong.
“Baka makumbinsi natin na dumaan dito para masalubong niya naman ang mga mahal niya sa buhay. Mahal na mahal niya ang mga migrant workers, eh. Aba , mahal kayo niyon ha. Palagi niyang iniuutos sa akin na huwag kong pabababayaan ang inyong kapakanan,” Bello said during an interview while on a visit to Hong Kong.
Among the subjects expected to be included in Duterte's agenda in Beijing are
trade in which China enjoys a US$3billion surplus, atttracting Chinese investments to the Philippines, and joint exploration of the
West Philippine Sea, the source said.
This development depends on the progress of talks initiated
by former President Fidel V. Ramos when he flies for the second time to Hong
Kong within October, as Duterte’s personal representative, the source said.
While in Hong Kong, Ramos is expected to meet with his
highly-placed contacts in China, to whom he had reached out as special envoy to
restore ties in the wake of an international court ruling that favored the
Philippines in its dispute with China over the West Philippine Sea.
Last August 29, Duterte explained in a speech his policy of
reaching out to China: "There is always war and peace. If I am not ready
for war, then peace is the only thing. I will keep silent now."
He added: "I will never bring (up) the matter because it may lead to the suspenson of talks with China."
This meant that he would not invoke, for now, the United
Nations (UN) Arbitral Tribunal decision last July, which declared that the
Philippines has exclusive sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea and
that China’s “nine-dash line” is invalid.
The tribunal's other findings included:
- China violated the Philippines’ sovereign rights in its exclusive economic zone by (a) interfering with Philippine fishing and petroleum exploration, (b) constructing artificial islands and (c) failing to prevent Chinese fishermen from fishing in the zone
- There was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within the sea areas falling within the ‘nine-dash line'
- Chinese law enforcement vessels had unlawfully created a serious risk of collision when they physically obstructed Philippine vessels.
China, which refused to participate in the tribunal's
deliberations, has rejected the tribunal's decision.
Duterte brought in Ramos because of the friendships the
latter had built since the first Boao Forum for Asia in Boao, Yunan province,
in 1998 when he was still president. Ramos said he has since travelled to that
country regularly to renew the friendships in the yearly Boao forum, and play
in golf tournaments organized in his honor.
In his first visit to Hong Kong last August 10-11, for
example, Ramos met with his Boao friends Madam Fu Ying, chairman of the Foreign
Affairs Committee of the National People’s Congress, and former Ambassador to
Manila (1998-2000) Wu Shicun who is now president of China’s National Institute
for South China Sea Studies.
A press statement issued by Ramos at the end of that trip
said they “discussed, in their private capacity, the way forward in the spirit
of universal brotherhood and sisterhood for peace and cooperation between the
two countries.”
The informal discussions took up "possible human and
ecological security options and suggestions for the benefit of their peoples,
such as: a.) encouraging marine preservation; b.) avoiding tension and
promoting fishing cooperation; c.) anti-drug and anti-smuggling cooperation;
d.) anti-crime and anti-corruption cooperation; e.) improving tourism
opportunities; f.) encouraging trade and investment facilitation; g.)
encouraging track II (think tank) exchanges on relevant issues of mutual
concern and interest."
The second round of meetings involving Ramos apparently
indicates significant progress towards formal talks between the two
governments, with targets being set for the Duterte visit in Beijing.
