Philippine President Benigno Aquino III is
willing to share with other countries in the region the benefits of the natural
gas deposits in the disputed territories in the West Philippine Sea. But he
said he will not be a party to the
ceding of portions of the Philippine archipelago to a foreign power like China.
Speaking
before a general assembly of alumni of US universities late Wednesday, Aquino
said the Philippine government continues to talk with the Chinese for a
mutually beneficial solution to their standoff over the Panatag (Scarborough)
Shoal as well as other disputed territories in the area.
"I
am not empowered to give up any of our territory,” the president said in answer
to a suggestion that “a win-win solution” might be for the two countries to
split the US$35 trillion worth of natural gas that another disputed territory,
the Recto Bank, is believed to hold.
The
Recto Bank (international name: Reed Bank), which lies within the Philippines’
200 nautical-mile (370 kilometres) economic zone, is located abut 150 km east
of the Spratly chain of islets, which is
claimed in whole or in part by Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam, as well as
the Philippines and China.
The
Recto Bank, which is said to have oil and gas deposits that reach deep into the
Cuyo Islands in Palawan, has been the subject of numerous exploration campaigns
by the Philippines in the past.
The
Philippines last year filed a diplomatic protest against China after two
Chinese ships reportedly harassed a vessel that had been contracted by the
government to undertake oil exploration activities in the bank.
Aquino
acknowledged that the huge benefits from the resources in the disputed
territories could free the region from dependence on fossil fuel from Middle
Eastern and North African countries.
"If
we are able to exploit these resources, that redounds to benefits for the
entire region,” he said.
He said
the parties to the dispute “should work towards easing the problems and the
concerns of our respective peoples in the here and now and not in some future
date where, you know, it is not a fair solution.”
"If
it’s clear that we have a 200-mile economic zone, exclusive economic zone,
designated by the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Seas, and both of
us are parties to it, is it too much to ask that our rights are respected by
our neighbours in the same token that we respect their rights?” he said.
The
president said the Philippines doesn’t have to be “the sole winner of
exploitation of resources” in the disputed areas. He said the country has
always been a good neighbour to other countries in the Asia Pacific.
However,
it has to draw the line when it should look after its rightful interests, he
said.
"Recto
Bank is 80 miles from us. There are areas that are even closer…So if we keep on
subtracting about 30 per cent—and not to be flippant about it—if you don’t draw
the line somewhere, will we be having claims against us on the Pasig River or
other rivers?” he added.
He
stressed that the Philippines was resolved on a peaceful and diplomatic
solution to the disputes with China, noting that it cannot afford to engage
Beijing militarily.
"So
we are exploring ways and means to resolve the conflict. We keep on
reemphasising that we are not for conflict. We do not want to present a threat
to them in any shape, manner or form, or whatsoever in terms of military
action,” he said.
“If it
were just a boxing match, they’re 1.3 billion and we’re 93 million. We will not
prevail. That is not the route and our Constitution actually prohibits it,” he
said.
Paranaque
Rep. Roilo Golez said there is an upside to the tension between the Philippines
and China over the Panatag Shoal dispute.
He said
the Philippines’ refusal to bow down to China has united many Filipinos against
a common enemy and earned the country respect from other groups and nations.
"This
extended standoff, with the Philippines not buckling down against the world’s
second most powerful country, is gaining for us international respect and moral
support,” Golez said in a statement.
"It
is a unifying and rallying force. Even Filipino groups outside the country have
mobilised themselves in support of our cause,” he said.
It also
shows the world that the Philippines has a strong and steadfast foreign policy
that does not crumble under economic pressure and veiled military threats,
Golez said. With Leila Salaverria
Norman
Bordadora
Philippine
Daily Inquirer
Business & Investment Opportunities
YourVietnamExpert is a division of Saigon Business Corporation Pte Ltd, Incorporated in Singapore since 1994. As Your Business Companion, we propose a range of services in Strategy, Investment and Management, focusing Healthcare and Life Science with expertise in ASEAN. We also propose Higher Education, as a bridge between educational structures and industries, by supporting international programmes. Many thanks for visiting www.yourvietnamexpert.com and/or contacting us at contact@yourvietnamexpert.com
Dear
Reader,
May I
invite you to visit our new blog: IIMS-Asean http://iims-asean.blogspot.com/
News
and activities of the International Institute of Medicine and Science Asean
Chapter of IIMS, Inc. California, USA - Health care, Life Science, Education,
Research, Philanthropy. Asean is the economic organisation of ten countries
located in South East Asia: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR,
Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. IIMS is a
non-profit organization.
No comments:
Post a Comment