“Bank of America warned a further deterioration in diplomatic relations between China and the Philippines could inflict serious economic damage to the Philippine economy”
What’s new in the West Philippine Sea?
Chinese embassy officials in Manila recently disclosed the Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Command had entered into an agreement with China on a “new model” to manage disputes over the Ayungin Shoal.
This agreement was supposedly approved by officials of the National Security Council and the Department of National Defense.
The embassy revealed all “communication and negotiation on this subject matter is kept on record in every detail by the Chinese side,” emphasizing these “are facts, not narratives or inventions.”
The statement claimed: “Thanks to the ‘new model,’ frontliners of both sides had guidance to follow on how to interact with each other, which made the resupply mission last Feb. 2 a smooth one.”
One of those resupply missions was described by the AFP Wescom spokesperson as “flawless” following the implementation of the new model.
National Security Adviser Eduardo Año reacted thus: “No one in the Philippine government is, nor have been, empowered nor authorized to enter into or commit to any sort of agreement, understanding, or arrangement – more so informal ones, by our President.”
He labeled the embassy’s claim as “fake news” and “disinformation.”
DND Secretary Gilbert Teodoro also denied the Philippines is a party to any new arrangement with China in relation to the disputed shoal.
He wondered why the disclosure came right after a quadrilateral meeting with the defense ministers of Australia, Japan, and the US that he attended in Hawaii last week.
We recall that Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian paid a courtesy call on Teodoro at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City when the latter assumed the DND’s top post in July 2023.
Teodoro insisted though that there was no discussion or briefing on this new model or even the “gentleman’s agreement” between former President Rodrigo Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2016.
Both Duterte and the Chinese Embassy have confirmed the existence of the ‘gentleman’s agreement’.
According to the embassy, the Philippines agreed not to deploy any of its aircraft or vessels beyond 12 nautical miles of Scarborough Shoal or its corresponding airspace, and would limit the fishing area of Filipino fishermen.
Embassy officials said they are confused because more and more questions are cropping up, such as: “Why does the DND refuse to properly manage maritime differences through dialogue and negotiation? Why does the Philippine administration keep denying and resisting the understandings and arrangements?”
After admitting a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ was reached during the previous government under Duterte, the embassy claimed a “new model” was agreed upon during the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The key points of the “new model, according to Beijing, were:
There would be a 1+1 model for both sides, meaning the Philippine government would only deploy one Philippine Coast Guard vessel and one resupply vessel to the Ayungin Shoal, while China would only deploy one Chinese Coast Guard ship and a fishing boat;
The Philippine government would notify Beijing about its resupply mission two days prior;
The Philippines would only send food and water supplies to the troops of the grounded BRP Sierra Madre; and
The Philippines and China would have close communication during the former’s resupply missions.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has said, however, that it is not aware of any ‘new model’ and called on China to “desist from disseminating such information or insinuation against Philippine officials.”
So who is telling the truth?
Does the DND have evidence to refute the allegations?
Will the embassy release the transcripts of the discussions that led to the formulation of the new model?
Meanwhile, the world’s second largest bank, the Bank of America, warned a further deterioration in diplomatic relations between China and the Philippines could inflict serious economic damage to the Philippine economy in terms of trade, tourism, and investments.
Hmm. This is getting interesting. (Email: ernhil@yahoo.com)