Why all the issues?
According to presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo, Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua told him at a dinner that if a country were to deport Chinese workers “not in accordance with the law” they “would do the same” to that country’s workers in China.
Without mentioning the Filipino workers in China, that already is a veiled threat. This comes after another one of President Duterte’s speeches, where he stated that Chinese workers in the country should be allowed to stay, because if they are deported, three hundred thousand Filipino OFWs in China may face the same treatment.
So he’s saying to just leave them alone, for the sake and safety of our workers in China. As usual, this did not sit well with many groups and lawmakers, prompting the Palace to declare that immigration laws will be enforced on everyone, including illegal Chinese workers. But there is a new twist to this tale.
The Chinese Embassy is now denying Panelo’s statement that China will deport Filipino workers if illegal Chinese workers are recklessly deported, in a so-called “tit-for-tat” move. According to the Chinese Embassy, they “adhere to the principle of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs.
China's law enforcement agencies will deal with illegal workers in China in accordance with law.” At the same time, China said it respects Philippine laws on foreign workers. No reaction yet from Panelo as of this writing. I now wonder where he heard that from?
Indeed, anyone violating immigration laws will be arrested and deported accordingly. China should not see that as a reason to do the same, especially if Filipino workers are there legally. I sincerely doubt there is a large number of illegal Filipino workers in China, knowing the harsh penalties for doing so. If they are there legally, there is no reason to deport them. I join the voices of those questioning the president’s statement. It just smacks of another incident of the government bowing down to China.
Shifting to another issue, former Bayan Muna representative Neri Colmenares warned of an alleged “onerous” contract with China. This in reference to the Chico River Pump Irrigation Project where a Chinese bank will lend the government more than three billion pesos, said to benefit thousands of farmers.
The contract also allegedly stipulates that a Chinese construction company will be tasked to build the project, who will surely hire workers from China. A public bidding was not done for the contractor, in violation of our laws. There are also certain conditions in the contract that require a percentage of the loan to be paid annually, with high interest rates compared to the loans of other countries such as Japan.
There have been many caveats about Chinese loans. While there is no argument that all these infrastructure projects being funded by China will benefit many, the problem lies in the details. Details not readily made to the public regarding loan payment, interest rates, payment schedules, and the like. In the long run, the country may be at a disadvantage. If China is truly a friend as the administration would like to think, why all the issues with them?
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