Duterte’s diplomatic success; Martin Jacques in Manila

There were all kinds of suggestions on what President Duterte should say in his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The pushing and cajoling were all for naught coming as it did from those who did not wish him well and the country. The invisible prompter was the US government that feels threatened by China’s rise to power. Our president was able to take up crucial points on our relations with China successfully with guarded diplomacy.

The grapevine spread ignorant rumors about the government’s soft approach in dealing with the growing hegemon in our region –  the arbitral ruling on the South China Sea, the POGO irritants, etc, etc. As he promised all this were taken up with care and finesse.

The rumor mongering nothing more than rumor mongering of critics of his critics. Duterte was able to address important points and differences without straining the friendship with China. He hewed close to the new dictum of an independent foreign policy for the Philippines.

The meetings were primarily on China’s Belt and Road initiative. Duterte met Xi in April when he went to China for the 2nd Belt and Road Forum.

It will be a huge infrastructure to unite East and West. But it is not a new idea. Indeed it is almost as old as China’s 20 centuries of history and civilization. It was known simply as The Silk Road of ancient times and travelers speak of the sites it encompassed including what is said to be the Shangri-la. That history and civilization signify what China will be in the modern world.

Six agreements were signed between the Philippines and China when they met at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing. Duterte set the tone of their meeting. “To be sure, there have been challenges. Yet we are living up to our commitment to define our ties as a Comprehensive Strategic Cooperation,” he said.

The leaders of the two  countries signed six agreements among them memorandums of understanding (MOU) on higher education cooperation and on science and technology. Also signed were two loan agreements  and a cooperative pact on customs matters.

“Today, we can add fresh impetus – indeed a stronger momentum – to work together. That is, to determine steps needed along a common road that lead to the goal of a strong and special relationship that is mutually respectful, collectively beneficial and decidedly reciprocal,” he added.

The President thanked China for its support to the Philippines’ military modernization, including various forms of military aid it provided for free since 2017.

On the sticky of POGO, Ambassador Chito Sta. Romana expressed what will dictate solutions:

‘China can’t dictate online gambling ban on the Philippines.’ A sweeping ban on offshore gaming could drastically affect the Philippine economy which I suspect is the heightened tack being taken by the Opposition through various unpleasant reports …that we are being swarmed by “dirty Chinese” and gangsters. Again this is not the issue.

The issue as Ambassador Chito Sta. Romana said was “They can’t dictate on us. Those are sovereign decisions... That is where we stand,” It isn’t a matter of rejecting the Chinese position but explaining the differences.

Asked if that would mean rejecting China’s call to ban online gambling, the envoy replied: “No, that’s not rejecting. It’s explaining the difference.”

He said President Duterte was ready to discuss the Philippines’ position on online gambling with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

Sta. Romana said the Philippines cannot take drastic measure against POGOs given their impact on the economy.

“For me, I think the key is for the President to be ready to explain, you know. And it will have an economic impact on us. So if we are to do it, we want a soft landing,” Sta. Romana said.

“We don’t want a drastic, you know, impact that will adversely affect our economy. As a matter of fact, we are already trying it. We’re trying to regulate, to tighten the screws, so to speak, and to monitor,” he added.

Despite Manila’s and Beijing’s opposite stance on online gaming, Sta. Romana said the two countries can cooperate in certain areas including law enforcement.

We can learn from Martin Jacques, the author of the international bestseller When China Rules the World will be here on Sept. 8 and will speak on this subject of understanding China as a civilization state, not a nation state as Western countries are.

His book is about the  end of the western world and the Birth of a New Global Order with China as the leading exponent. It was first published in 2009 and has since been translated into 15 languages and sold 400,000 copies. The book has been shortlisted for two major literary awards. A second edition of the book, greatly expanded and fully updated, was published in 2012. A new updated and expanded edition of the book was published in China in April 2016.

Chinese Reformers, Western Economists, and the Making of Global China (2017), which The Economist called “a gripping read, highlighting what was little short of a revolution in China’s economic thought.”

A Chinese speaker, he has lived and worked in China and the United States and most recently served as special advisor for international affairs at the US Department of Energy. A Rhodes scholar, he holds degrees from the University of Oxford and Harvard College. He was a speaker at the 2018 Abu Dhabi Ideas Weekend, where he moderated Moonshot 4: “The Modern Silk Road: A new era of globalisation?”.

In March 2018, the Abu Dhabi Ideas Weekend welcomed some of the brightest and most interesting minds from the UAE and around the world to discuss four of the most important moonshot challenges facing our planet. The event was inspired by the world-famous Aspen Ideas Festival that has been taking place in Colorado since 2005, as a place for scientists, artists, politicians, business leaders, historians and educators to discuss some of the most fascinating ideas of our time.

The 2018 Abu Dhabi Ideas Weekend topics included: “Polarisation: Bridging the gaps”, “Cancer: An end in sight?”, “Artificial Intelligence: Our super-intelligent friend?” and “The Modern Silk Road: A new era of globalisation”.