Duterte also meets with Russian leader Putin

 The Philippines and China have agreed to fast-track the implementation of various deals worth $24 billion generated during President Duterte’s recent visit to China as the leaders of both nations firmed up closer economic relations.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. said this developed after Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Rodrigo Duterte held bilateral meeting at the sidelines of the 24th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meetings here. He participated in the leaders’ activities on Friday, held bilateral talks with China and Russia, but skipped the APEC gala dinner. Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said the 71-year-old firebrand was not feeling well and Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay went in his stead.

Duterte also had a bilateral meeting with the man he calls his hero – Russian President Vladimir Putin – and poured out his sentiment and justified his “belligerent” stance against the west for being a “bully and a hypocrite.”

“I have been looking for this moment to meet you Mr. President not only because you represent a great country but of your leadership, too,” Duterte told Putin early in the meeting.

In his customary straightforward and candid way of talking, Duterte confessed to his “idol” Putin that he had “ceased” to be a “fan” of the west and that the Philippines has been “longing also to be part of Europe,” with the Philippines participating more in Europe’s commerce and trade despite the distance.

BROAD STROKES WITH CHINA

Yasay pointed out that Chinese side was the one that requested the bilateral meeting as a follow through on the various deals and memoranda of understanding signed during the recent state visit of President Duterte to China.

Yasay also reported that they are on track on their work on these deals with economic benefits reaching a staggering proportion and will “now be pushing for more vigorous talks to implement the broad strokes that we have arrived at when we signed the MOUs.”

The President, Yasay said, has also instructed them to also move forward fast. Already, China has strongly indicated to really beef up its importation of agricultural products, particularly fruits.

“They also mentioned the lifting of the ban of tourists coming over and we expect in a few weeks a marked increase in tourists coming from China,” he added.

SCARBOROUGH AND SOUTH CHINA SEA

Notably, Xi himself gave assurance to Duterte that Filipino fishermen will continue to have free access to their traditional fishing grounds in the Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea and even volunteered to provide strong support for their livelihood.

Earlier, Chinese officials were quoted as saying they will provide capacity building projects for the improvement of the Filipino fishermen’s livelihood.

More than the assurance of continued free access to the fishing grounds, Yasay cited the Chinese for having volunteered to provide opportunities for Filipino fishermen to ensure their livelihood is strongly supported.

“The Chinese have offered our fishermen opportunities for them to develop and train to make sure that their livelihood as fishermen will be strongly supported and they will be able to engage themselves in the culturing of fishes that will sustain their families and their livelihood,” he said.

In return, the Philippine side assured the Chinese that any actions it would take on the South China Sea issue will be precisely to just simply promote the country’s interests.

“We spoke a little bit about the South China Sea disputes not for the purpose of resolving them now but I think most of the conversation along that line was an expression of good will in the area of jurisdiction. Territorial ownership and sovereignty will be set aside in the meantime until a solution is in sight in the future,” he said.

President Duterte invited the Chinese leader to visit the Philippines and Xi reportedly accepted.

The Chinese leader also personally asked Duterte to participate in the Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS) Conference that it will be hosting in September next year in Russia, citing the importance of the BRICS Conference to the Philippines in light of its hosting of the ASEAN Summit also next year.

MEETING PUTIN

“Historically, I have been identified with the Western world. It was good until it lasted. Of late, I see a lot of these Western nations bullying small nations. And not only that, they are into so much hypocrisy,” Duterte told Putin, who was intently listening.

That change of mindset, the Philippine leader said, came about as a result of the series of events in the Cold War era that led to his opinion of the west and to his decision to chart an independent foreign policy for his country.

FOREIGN POLICY SHIFT – Philippine President Rodrigo R. Duterte meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time. (AP | Manila Bulletin)

FOREIGN POLICY SHIFT – Philippine President Rodrigo R. Duterte meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time. (AP | Manila Bulletin)

According to Duterte, the west led by the US seemed “to start a war but are afraid to go to war. That is what’s wrong with America and the other. They insist if you are allied with them (you follow them).”

He criticized the west for waging wars in so many places in Vietnam, in Afghanistan and in Iraq, under one reason that there was a weapon of mass destruction in these countries when there was none. The western countries also went to the Korean War where they were beaten, he said.

In the case of the Philippines, he said, “they forced my country to contribute military forces.”

Filipino soldiers fought in the wars with both Iraq and Vietnam.

“And when one soldier, one Filipino worker in the Middle East was captured by the groups there, they threatened to behead the Filipino unless we go out of war against the Middle East at that time,” he said.

It can be recalled that Filipino truck driver Angelo dela Cruz was held hostage in Iraq in 2004.

To save the life of the Filipino worker, the Philippine government under then President Gloria Arroyo decided to withdraw its forces in Iraq as demanded by his captors.

“From that time on, the Americans made it hard for us and even ….the International Monetary Fund. So, there are things that I see which are not good ideas,” said Duterte.

Even before he was elected as president, Duterte did not hide his disgust over the policies of the western nations. His verbal attacks on the US and the EU continued and even heightened after he was sworn into office as he announced that the Philippines is going to chart its own independent foreign policy.

He also informed Putin that he is waging a tough war against illegal drugs in the country.

The bilateral meeting started with a long handshake of the two leaders who met for the very first time.

For his part, Putin opened the talks by welcoming and congratulating Duterte. Putin told his counterpart that the last presidential election in the Philippines where the latter won by a stunning upset, coincided with Russia’s victory in the great patriotic war over the Nazis group. Putin said that May 9 in Russia is a “very bright day and public holiday.”

“For you, it has been your personal victory so once again congratulations. Mr. President, this year marks the 40th anniversary since diplomatic ties between our countries were established back in time,” he said.

He cited Duterte for having done a lot in so short a time in terms of promoting greater trust and confidence between the two countries.

Yasay described the bilateral meeting as “very encouraging because even if the two countries have reached its 40 years of diplomatic relations, their relationship has not really matured especially in the area of trade and investment and commercial.”

“But this time, we are going to push through for it, the president has explained to President Putin the historical basis of our present situation, why it was necessary for us to really engage in an independent foreign policy,” Yasay said.

Yasay also stressed that for Filipinos to successfully move forward for a brighter future, “we must learn from the mistakes of the past” and “acknowledge our own mistake, then there will be no way that we can move forward and I think the president conveyed that message quite clear to the president of Russia.”

At the end of the meeting, Putin formally extended an invitation for Duterte to visit Russia. Yasay said that Duterte’s visit will be preceded by a trip that he would take this December to pave the way for both countries to enter into various agreements to achieve their goals and objectives.

Source:
courtesy of MANILA BULLETIN

by Bernie Cahiles-Magkilat

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