A “new page of history” has begun for China, the Philippines and the Asean, President Rodrigo Duterte said Saturday as he worked to intensify economic development and exchange views with Beijing through China’s Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation this weekend.
“China has built a relationship between the Asean and with the Philippines a new chapter, a new page of our history. China has, and [if] they were to help, and it could only do so [if] we come up with a common economic program for everybody. If there’s investment, we can have more businesses, make the economy grow and China would likewise benefit from it,” Duterte told China Central Television.
Duterte, who will visit Beijing for the second time, said that he will attend the forum not only representing the Philippines but also the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, as the Philippines is currently the rotating chairman of the regional grouping.
“The Philippines is now the chair of the Aseanand whether I like it or not, I would bring some messages from the Asean community. Second is I also represent my country there upon the invitation of President Xi Jinping. Then I would work on a more robust bilateral connection with China, make it, fortify it with understanding the intricacies of our government including how the One Belt One Road would operate,” he said.
Duterte said that the Belt and Road initiative fits into the Philippines’ 2017-2022 development plan, especially in infrastructure development.
He said he hoped to promote the connectivity of capital, cargo, and people to further upgrade trade cooperation.
Duterte said he wants to learn more about the economies of other nations and how they operate, to boost the Philippines’ connectivity.
“[It’s important that] I listen particularly, listen and learn more on how I can go about bringing in the Asean community, with it I hope that the state leaders would also be there. And at the same time, I can have a conference with them of how best we can address the projections of what the One Belt One Road would operate in our community, in my case, in the Philippines,” said the President.
In an interview in Beijing, thePhilippine Ambassador to China, Jose Santiago “Chito” Sta. Romana said that the President has decided to put the issue on the country’s arbitration ruling in a “separate track” so as not to derail the Philippines’ improving relations with China.
Duterte has said he would use a “soft” approach in dealing with the Philippines’ maritime dispute with China and has engaged into bilateral talks instead of pressing the issue on China.
“If you put the disputes in the front and center of bilateral relations and say you have to resolve this first before you can have trade and cultural links, the relations will be frozen,” Sta. Romana said.
“The strategy is to put the dispute in a separate track, [but] to put it in a separate track is not to abandon or give up,” he added.
Instead, Duterte and his team of economic managers will “proceed from our own national interest under the banner of an independent foreign policy” when crafting deals with their counterparts in China’s capital, Sta. Romana said.
“Where there are areas of convergence, we will proceed,” he said.
Sta. Romana, however, clarified that putting the issue on a separate track doesn’t mean the government was giving up on the country’s claims in the disputed sea.
“If you put the dispute on the center (of the discussion), it will poison the atmosphere,” he said.
The government is employing a different strategy this time, saying that it wants to avoid a row with China from escalating.
“It could if it’s not handled properly like what we have experienced in the past couple of years,” he said.
During the country’s hosting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit in Manila, Duterte chose to remain silent on alleged Chinese incursions into Philippine waters, including its militarization and land grabbing activities, and the Philippines’ arbitration victory.
China has stepped up militarization and island-building in the South China Sea as it continued to assert ownership over nearly all of the waters, despite conflicting claims of the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.
Duterte is among 28 heads of state expected to take part in the forum starting today, May 14 to 15 just as as his administration pursues an ambitious P8-trillion infrastructure development plan.