Duterte diplomacy at play in Brunei, China visits

President Duterte has ruled out any bargaining of the country’s territory with China even as he seeks to revitalize bilateral and economic relations with the Asian neighbor.

In a statement before leaving for a six-day visit to Brunei and China, the President said he would “stick” with the country’s territorial claims in his meeting with the leaders of China but would not make any “hard impositions.”

Duterte is scheduled to make a state visit to China on October 18 to 21 to strengthen bilateral cooperation particularly in areas of trade and investments despite a bitter maritime dispute in the South China Sea. Prior to his Beijing trip, the Philippine leader will be a state guest in Brunei on October 16 to 18.

“We will stick with our claim. We do not bargain anything there. We continue to insist that it is ours, that the tribunal, the international decision will be taken up but there will be no hard impositions,” Duterte said in a press conference in Davao City.

“We will talk and we will maybe paraphrase everything in the judgment and set the limits of our territories, the special economic zones. There will be no bargaining there. It is ours,” he added.

Duterte was referring to the international tribunal ruling that nullified China’s historic claims in the South China Sea. The decision, made by the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration, has bolstered the country’s ownership of the areas in the West Philippine Sea but questions remain on how it would be enforced.

The President, in his remarks, stressed that he would be “very careful not to bargain anything” with China especially since the territory is owned by the Filipino people. “After all I cannot give what is not mine and which I am not empowered to do by any sketch of imagination,” he said.

He explained that there would be no hard impositions on the territorial issue “because this is a matter of international committee.”

“When you go there, we only want to talk. And remember there are only two options: We go to trouble or we talk. We can choose to pass there in between,” said Duterte, who has advocated bilateral talks to resolve the territorial row with China.

Even though the two nations are locked in a territorial dispute, the President said he looks forward to exchanging views with leaders of China on how to improve relations between the two nations, particularly identify “emerging areas of participation and various fields of cooperation.”

Ties that bind

Duterte is scheduled to have separate meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang, and National People’s Congress chairman Zhang Dejiang this week.

“I will look forward to renewing the ties of friendship between the Philippines and China and to reaffirm the commitment to work closer to achieve shared goals for our countries and peoples,” Duterte said.

“As we mark this year of the 41st anniversary of the establishment of the relations between China and the Philippines, we will look at the sum total of our relationships. We shall seek ways to strengthen cooperation, particularly to intensify two-way trade and investments,” he added.

This is the first state visit of a Philippine President to Beijing since 2011 and signals a key turning point in both histories, he said.

Partner for peace

In Brunei, the President will hold a meeting with Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah and tackle ways to enhance special ties between the two countries.

Among the priorities will be intensifying two-way trade and investments, developing the country’s halal sector and MSMEs are points of discussion, Duterte said.

Along with the growth and development, Duterte also plans to forge closer cooperation with Brunei in securing just and lasting peace in Mindanao.

“Brunei has always been a steadfast partner for peace. As the Philippines enters an important phase in our peace talks, Brunei will continue to play an important role,” he said.

In the area of defense and security cooperation, Duterte said he would seek collaborative undertakings in the sharing and expertise on maritime security as well as capacity building.

“I will seek closer collaboration and mutual support in our campaign against illegal drugs and in attaining our common goal of realizing an ASEAN drug-free community,” he said.

Duterte is also expected to meet with the Filipino community in Brunei to thank them for their contributions to the country’s economic development. He also intends to apprise the Filipinos of developments in the country.

“Upon my return, I will report on the gains that Philippines achieved during the visits. In both these state visits, we will continue to espouse cooperation and collaboration with friendly nations on the basis of sovereign equality, non-interference and mutual respect,” he said.

“In all my dealings, I will remain true to the Constitutional mandate reposed on me to pursue an independent foreign policy and to uphold the national interest of the Philippines,” he added. (With reporst from Roy C.Mabasa, Charissa M. Luci, and Sameul P. Medenilla)

Source:
courtesy of MANILA BULLETIN

by Genalyn Kabiling

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