THE PHILIPPINES and China have committed to strengthen economic and trade cooperation, adhere to international law in resolving maritime disputes, and iron out a bilateral agreement on the transfer of prisoners, among other achievements, at the conclusion of the Beijing leg of President Benigno S.C. Aquino III’s ongoing state visit to the People’s Republic of China.
In joint statement, both governments declared the visit as “a milestone visit in the development of Philippines-China bilateral relations,” marred recently by a diplomatic spat over claims in the South China Sea.
It noted that Mr. Aquino’s visit to China’s capital had resulted in high-level exchanges and the witnessing of nine agreements, further strengthening cooperation in the fields of, among others, trade, tourism, media, sports and culture.
A bilateral meeting between Mr. Aquino and President Hu Jintao was described as “fruitful” and also noted discussions with Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.
Among the highlights of the Beijing visit, the statement noted, were:
• commitments to increase regular high-level exchanges and visits/meetings between leaders and officials.
• an affirmation of the Philippines-China Five-Year Development Program for Trade and Cooperation (2012-2016) given the current instability of the global economy;
• expanding bilateral trade with a two-way target of $600 billion for 2016;
• China’s support and commitment to encourage Chinese participation in the Aquino government’s public-private partnership program;
• a move to discuss the establishment of a nautical highway that will support bilateral trade and support the connectivity between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and China;
• an agreement that 2012-2013 will be the “Philippines-China Years of Friendly Exchanges” along with a goal of doubling two-way tourist arrivals to two million by 2016;
• expediting the implementation of a treaty concerning mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, and begin negotiations for a bilateral deal on the transfer of convicted persons; and
• an agreement “not to let the maritime disputes affect the broader picture of friendship and cooperation…”
The declaration that amicable relations had been restored following tensions dating from a March 2 Reed Bank incident and succeeding incursions by Chinese vessels did not impress political analyst Rene C. de Castro.
“It’s always the same pattern: improving relations, disillusion, and the fighting, it’s the same cycle … countries go through cooperation, competition, and conflict,” Mr. de Castro said when asked to comment on the joint statement.
“Summit diplomacies are symbolic, they create necessary atmosphere to resolve disputes, to change the milieu, but what makes a difference is implementing the joint declaration, these agreements,” he added.
“The issue of the South China Sea is not over, definitely no; the South China Sea was not really mentioned, they had five minutes’ talk and they breezed through it. This is to manage the tension, because the tension nearly went out of control… What is more challenging would be implementing those declarations.”
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Source: Business World, Sept. 1, 2011
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