Chinese envoy leaving Phl; DFA protests aircraft carrier deployment

MANILA, Philippines - Chinese Ambassador Ma Keqing is ending her tour of duty next month, diplomatic sources said yesterday.

Sources, however, said Ma was not recalled, and the Chinese government has yet to name her replacement.

Ma was appointed ambassador to the country in January 2012, replacing Liu Jianchao, who was appointed ambassador to Indonesia.

It was under Ma’s term when the Philippines filed a case before the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea against China over its claims in the South China Sea.

China, however, refused to participate in the arbitration.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China said last month that Beijing’s position on the Philippines’ action and their refusal to accept arbitration are supported by international law.

‘More difficult’

In her first press conference in March 2012, Ma admitted that serving as Chinese ambassador to Manila is more difficult and challenging because of the territorial conflict and heightened tensions between the Philippines and China over the resource-rich South China Sea.

She said her last posting in Finland before coming to Manila was not marked by major problems.

In her remarks during the reception upon her assumption in February 2012, Ma said the two countries disagree on issues but believe a peaceful solution could be attained.

“I do not fear that the flowing clouds may block my vision for where I stand is the top of the mountain,” she quoted lines from a Chinese poem to describe the bilateral relations between China and the Philippines in view of their territorial claims.

China insisted on a bilateral approach and called for limiting the issue of dispute in the South China Sea to the claimant countries.

On April 23, 2012, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) expressed concern over the inaccurate information conveyed by the Chinese embassy in Manila to the Chinese government concerning Chinese ships in Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal.

“It seems that some information that should have been conveyed to the Chinese government in Beijing was not very complete and even misleading,” DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez said.

He said Beijing also appeared to have received inaccurate information on an agreement about the fishing boats found poaching in the area and illegally collecting endangered species.

Hernandez declined to comment when asked if Ma should be recalled for giving inaccurate information to Beijing.

Aircraft carrier

In a related development, Hernandez said China’s deployment of its aircraft carrier Liaoning for its first-ever sea trials in the South China Sea on Tuesday raises tension and violates the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.

He said the deployment should not also violate international laws, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

“It must therefore not be for other than peaceful purposes. Its deployment does not contribute to collective efforts to strengthen regional stability and instead serves to threaten the status quo,” he said.

The Xinhua news agency said the mission aims to test Liaoning’s crew and equipment over long distances and a variety of sea conditions.

The report said Liaoning has launched and recovered jet fighters but has not yet been given its full complement of aircraft.

The carrier was bought from Ukraine more than a decade ago and was extensively refurbished before entering service last year. At 57,000 tons, Liaoning is a little over half the size of the US Navy’s Nimitz class carriers.

No infringement

A senior security official said Beijing has the right to send its aircraft carrier for a training mission but the naval activity should not infringe on the territorial waters of other countries.

“It’s their right. We cannot stop them for as long as the naval activity is within international waters. But it’s another story if they conduct this in our territorial waters,” the official, who asked not to be named, said.

He said the Philippines is not alone in closely watching and monitoring China’s military activities in the region.

“I believe China, knowing full well the effect of its actions, will not do crazy things while pressing its territorial claims in the South and East China Sea,” he said.

He said the deployment of Liaoning is plain posturing while Beijing is testing its Navy’s capability. – With Jaime Laude