GUANGDONG, China”•The territorial dispute between the Philippines and China in the South China Sea won’t affect Beijing’s desire to strengthen the newly reinvigorated ties between the two countries under President Xi Jinping’s “Silk Road Economic Belt” initiative.
Lou Jun, the deputy director general of the Foreign Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Guangdong, expressed optimism that the relations between Beijing and Manila will be enhanced by Philippines’ participation in the Belt and Road initiative, which aims to promote economic prosperity and regional cooperation among countries along the path of the Silk Road Economic Belt.
“The dispute [in the South China Sea] won’t affect our desire for the Philippines to become part of the Road and Belt initiative. I am confident that China-Philippine relations will be further improve,” Lou told a group of Filipino journalists who were invited by the Chinese Embassy in Manila for a six-day trip here and Hainan provinces.
“The Belt initiative is not exclusive. The Belt initiative is inclusion of people along the Silk Road to develop common understanding, and not confrontation,” he added.
The Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road”•known as the Belt and Road Initiative”•was initiated in 2013, and aimed at joint development of economies along the ancient trade route linking Asia to Africa and Europe.
The Chinese government intends to pour in multi-trillion dollar investments through the Asian Infrastructures Investment Bank to spur economic development in the area.
President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to attend the “Belt and Road” Summit in China next month.
Lou made the statement following the controversial visit of Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana to several islands in the West Philippine Sea, including the Pag-Asa Island, that sparked a protest from China.
The Guangdong foreign affairs official appealed to the Philippine government to exercise restraint in dealing with the territorial dispute to diffuse the tension between the two countries.
“It’s common for countries to have different opinion on specific issues. But sometimes, the media makes small things big. Sometimes they ignore the common interest behind that. If we could work together, the media can help the general public understand what the real problem is. So that the parties’ concerned can sit down and talk to find a way to control the conflict and to minimize the damage that might come out of this dispute,” Lou said.
The Department of Foreign Affairs said the Philippines will not discuss the 2016 Hague ruling on the South China Sea during the Asean summit, but said the issue is on the agenda of the Asean.
In a statement, the DFA said it was optimistic that this week’s Asean Summit will be a success, noting the good ties between President Rodrigo Duterte and his fellow Asean leaders.
“The Hague ruling will not be on the agenda in the sense that it’s already part of international law. So we really can’t discuss the ruling, it’s there,” said acting Foreign Affairs secretary Enrique Manalo.
But former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosarios said the Asean summit is the opportunity to discuss SCS ruling with Asean members.
“We cannot wait for a ‘better time’ to come”•we must create that time ourselves lest that opportunity be lost forever,” Del Rosario, who was a guest speaker in a forum organized by Stratbase ADR Institute said.
The Philippines filed the arbitration case against China at the international tribunal, Del Rosario said, adding that the ruling should be an integral part of the Code of Conduct framework that is being finalized for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Del Rosario said because the Philippines is the chairman this year, the summit would have been a unqiue opportunity to show its resolve.
Workers in Metro Manila can expect a long weekend after Malacañang on Tuesday declared April 28, Friday, as a special nonworking day in Metro Manila ahead of the country’s hosting of the 30th Asean Summit at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay.
May 1 is a regular Labor Day holiday.
Police on Tuesday urged the public to stay away from areas where the summit and other related activites would be held. With Vito Barcelo, John Paolo Bencito, and Sandy Araneta