OUT
MANILA, MARCH 17, 2012 (MANILA TIMES) In allaying fears of Chinese
hegemonic tendencies, Beijing is in effect reaching out to Manila to deescalate
tensions in the region arising from disputed maritime claims. The Philippines
should reciprocate. Maintaining regional harmony and expanding economic
relations with China are in our country's national interest.
On Thursday, Beijing's envoy to Manila, Ma Keqing, told reporters that China
has no plans or ability to threaten other countries. That is welcome news, and
no apparent reason exists why Manila should doubt it. Ambassador Ma's statement
echoes China's long-standing position. Also in an earlier speech, the new
ambassador acknowledged sensitive issues existed and were straining relations
between the mainland and this country. The encounters between Philippine and
Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea—the local name for the South China
Sea—and the construction of Chinese naval "structures" in the area
intermittently trigger word wars between Manila and Beijing. But we should not
allow our disagreements to define our relationships.
Also, Ma appears to be candid about China's lack of capability in threatening
its neighbors—at least for now. China has been working to enhance its naval
capabilities. And China does have an aircraft carrier, but one does not
constitute a blue-water navy yet.
Of course, China's assurances should not lull our policymakers into
complacency. China will become a maritime power one day, and it is only prudent
to examine how that eventuality will impact Philippine security and other
interests.
Ambassador Ma insisted that all China wants was to protect its interests,
sovereignty and borders. The Philippines desires the same things. But problems
crop up when Philippine and Chinese interests contradict. The remedies to
resolve such concerns may be unclear for now, but we should at least realize
that the Philippines has little to gain from quarrelling with such an important
neighbor.
Deepening relations Without discarding our claims in the West Philippine Sea,
policymakers should look for ways to expand relations with China, particularly
on the economic front. It is the largest economy in Asia, the second largest in
the world. China's population of 1.3 billion is not just a huge market, and it
is also becoming an affluent one that is hungry for all sorts of goods and
services. Any country would be foolish to ignore the economic possibilities of
doing business with China. Our policymakers should study whether establishing
more interlocking interests with China would dampen its hawkish tendencies.
Also, the Philippines should decouple its military modernization program from
the possibility of a Chinese threat. Even if the Philippines were located across
the world from China, our military would still need new ships, planes, and other
equipment. To link the need to strengthen the Philippine military with China is
not only counterproductive but also foolish.
We wonder, though, whether such links were being made in order to leverage
more military assistance from the United States, which has staked its national
interest in the freedom of navigation in the region. If so, the Philippines
should be careful about that. Certainly, the Philippines has interests that are
in common with the US, and we recognize that the Americans can do much to help
us rehabilitate our military.
However, the Philippines should conduct a reality check. Can Filipinos rely
on the US military if China violates our territory? Remember that the US has a
substantial economic stake in China, too. Also, Filipino policymakers should ask
how the Philippines would respond if the US engages China militarily either over
the Spratlys or over Taiwan. Are we ready to fight with the Americans or to
allow US troops to use the Philippines as a base of operations in a military
campaign against China?
Remember that the US is not our only strategic partner. China is one, too. We
have historical links with America, but we also have ties with China that
predate the colonial period. We should explore what binds us with other peoples,
including the Chinese, rather than obsess about what divides us.
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
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