Manila and Beijing can make breakthrough
Updated: 2016-08-09 07:37
(China Daily)
|
|||||||||
President-elect Rodrigo Duterte speaks during a news conference in his hometown Davao City in southern Philippines, May 16, 2016. [Photo/Agencies] |
Via unilateral South China Sea arbitration, Benigno Aquino III drove Philippine-China relations into a hopeless cul-de-sac.
But Beijing and Manila do not have to be locked forever in a mutually damaging standoff.
After meeting with his Philippine counterpart in Vientiane, Laos, on Friday, Chinese Minister of Commerce Gao Hucheng said the South China Sea issue would not affect the two countries' cooperation in economy, trade and investment.
He also announced the two countries have agreed to reactivate by the end of the year a joint liaison committee overseeing economic and trade collaboration, which has been suspended for five years.
This has happened, in Gao's words, because the new administration of President Rodrigo Duterte in Manila has repeatedly expressed willingness to improve ties through bilateral dialogue, creating favorable conditions for cooperation "in all fields". And both sides believe such a longstanding, historical issue is not the entirety of the China-Philippine relationship.
That the two trade ministers have navigated the negative impact of the arbitration and maneuvered such a consensus shows impressive political maturity in handling such an otherwise explosive topic. Without such sophistication, trade could easily degenerate into a tool of vengeance, which would in turn escalate tensions.
In an even more inspiring latest development, former Philippine president Fidel Ramos is in Hong Kong as a special envoy of President Duterte seeking to initiate dialogue.
Ramos' record as a peace broker at home, and more recently in the Asia-Pacific via the Bo'ao Forum for Asia, offers optimism for the success of his mission.
But we are not talking about a matter of regular complexity. The South China Sea conundrum is too complicated to unravel through a couple of rounds of talks. Plus the arbitration has just rendered things uglier with its intrinsically flawed award.
The relatively low profile Beijing and Manila have kept over Ramos' visit is a credible sign that both will tread prudently. As the Philippine side has indicated, the visit is an opportunity to compare notes and try to reach "preliminary consensus".
Significant as it is, this is only a tentative first step. The first test for Ramos and his Chinese hosts will be whether they can keep the ruling, which is in Manila's favor but Beijing deems invalid, from ruining the momentum of constructive interaction.
Each party has difficult decisions to make. But since both parties seem to want to make a breakthrough, they should do everything possible to make it happen.
- Chinese scientists claim possible breakthrough in HIV, hepatitis cure
- Connection lost: does technology make long distance dating harder?
- Chinese firm reports record-breaking optic fiber transmission
- Travel in space poised to spread its wings
- Tibet envisioned as hub of Himalayas
- Health certificate steps reduced for foreigners
- Nepal's newly elected PM takes oath
- Texas gun law worries incoming students
- China vows to deepen economic, trade cooperation with ASEAN
- Fire guts Emirates jet after hard landing; 1 firefighter dies
- Egypt's Nobel-laureate scientist dies of illness in US
- THAAD muscle flexing unmasks anxiety over declining hegemony
- Ace swimmers make record-breaking splash in Rio
- Chinese weightlifter Long smashes world record
- China wins first diving gold of Rio Games
- Fancy diving and mahjong at same time? No problem
- Qingdao delights taste buds with seafood delicacies
- Big names train for Rio 2016
- Photo exhibition narrates charm of old Beijing
- Traditional Tibetan handicrafts kept alive in SW China
Most Viewed
Editor's Picks
Anti-graft campaign targets poverty relief |
Cherry blossom signal arrival of spring |
In pictures: Destroying fake and shoddy products |
China's southernmost city to plant 500,000 trees |
Cavers make rare finds in Guangxi expedition |
Cutting hair for Longtaitou Festival |
Today's Top News
US launches airstrikes against IS targets in Libya's Sirte
Ministry slams US-Korean THAAD deployment
Two police officers shot at protest in Dallas
Abe's blame game reveals his policies failing to get results
Ending wildlife trafficking must be policy priority in Asia
Effects of supply-side reform take time to be seen
Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi to meet Kerry
Chinese stocks surge on back of MSCI rumors
US Weekly
Geared to go |
The place to be |