Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) yesterday arrived in the Philippines for a state visit, aiming to advance strategic gains made under a Manila leadership that has favored Beijing in the hope of receiving billions of US dollars of loans and investment.
Xi’s visit comes two years after Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said he was reorienting his foreign policy away from the US and toward China, despite decades of mistrust and bitter maritime disputes.
In a commentary in Monday’s Philippine Star newspaper, Xi praised Duterte and described ties as being “a rainbow after the rain,” and repeatedly called for the “proper handling” of rows over the South China Sea.
Photo: AP
However, Duterte’s style of handling has frustrated nationalists, who say he has been submissive in refusing to criticize China’s military buildup, or seek its compliance with a 2016 arbitration award that invalidated its claim to almost the entire waterway.
Public opinion is largely supportive of Duterte’s presidency, but surveys consistently show reservations about his China policy and disdain for the US.
A Social Weather Stations survey released late on Monday showed that 84 percent of people in the Philippines felt it was wrong not to oppose China’s militarization of its artificial islands, while 86 percent believed it was right to strengthen the Philippine military, especially the navy.
The poll of 1,200 people conducted in late September also showed that trust in the US remained “very good,” but that in China was considered “poor.”
A small protest was held outside China’s embassy in Manila yesterday.
Asked about the survey, Philippine presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said that Duterte’s strategy was to avoid a potential “inferno” of conflict while reaping the rewards of improved business.
“They are not aware of the real geopolitics in the region. The president is a very cautious diplomat,” Panelo told news channel ANC. “Rather than provoke, he’d rather talk with them and get some trade relations that will benefit this country.”
Panelo said that those benefits, including US$24 billion of pledged loans and investments, were yet to materialize, but added that Duterte was not scared to speak up.
“This is the best time for the president to exert pressure on the Chinese president,” he said. “Knowing the man, he’ll do that, he’s that kind of person.”
Duterte has heaped praise on Xi for his support for his infrastructure program, although just three of dozens of such planned projects have broken ground.
Some analysts say that Duterte risks appearing as if he has been duped into making concessions.
Other Philippine experts say that delays in securing Chinese credit could be a blessing given the potential debt burden, echoing a warning delivered by US Vice President Mike Pence.
Opposition senators have demanded that Duterte reveal details of joint energy exploration plans with China in the South China Sea, warning such a deal risks affirming Chinese territorial claims.
“Signing the Chinese deal will make the Philippines recognize an unlawful ‘co-ownership’ with China,” the senators said in a resolution on Monday.
Any agreement with China would be a violation of the Philippine constitution and an impeachable offense, they said.
Panelo said any joint agreement would be constitutional, adding that it was too early to discuss senate scrutiny.
“Any demand for a release of documents ... is premature and could be prejudicial to our country’s interests, given that parties have yet to ink any agreement,” he said.
There are concerns among Philippine lawyers and diplomats about teaming up in areas that the two nations claim, in particular the Reed Bank, which is about 167km off Palawan island.
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