Unknown to many, I once worked as Foreign Affairs Specialist at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). I was detailed at the department's think-tank, the Center for International Relations and Strategic Studies (CIRSS) or what we all call "sears". Handling the economic diplomacy desk, I was one of those who recommended and accurately predicted the inclusion of China in the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the possible re-organization of the regional trade organizations into multilateral economic zones. This is happening right now.
This latest caper by China, issuing a protest over the Senate's watered down version of the Archipelagic Baselines Bill is a comedy, a laughable thing which, probably stemmed from the inability of the Philippine Charge d'Affairs in Beijing to translate the bill to Mandarin. The statement is a knee-jerk reaction from the Chinese, albeit, done grinning sheepishly while saying it. Come on, China. We both know that the bill diluted our claims to the Kalayaan Islands and Scarborough shoal. Under the "regime of islands" concept in the UNCLOS, the version practically abandoned the claims, and yet, you protest. And for what?
Because we did'nt unilaterally dropped the entire claim, as you suggested in talks with the Arroyo administration late last year? Your attaches and political operators went into full high-gear diplomacy with our Congressmen, those very close to Arroyo, to ask our government to abandon the claims in exchange for commercial transaction of the Congressmen's self-appointed companies and a whooping government-to-government loan under the China Exim bank.
Former UN representative Lauro Baja already told the whole world that the Philippines erred in passing that version since it effectively handed over to you the entire Kalayaan archipelago. You can now exploit those territories for themselves, says Baja.
China should re-read the bill and revert back to us with a reasonable answer.
Or maybe the whole purpose of this media circus is to misinform Filipinos about the true nature of what's happening in Spratly's. Ordinary citizens, like myself, thought that China having protested the said bill made the Philippines would've made believed that the government is doing its fight and standing for it in regards to Spratlys. Having read your post made me think otherwise. Thanks for the info.
ReplyDeletethanks sassy reporter. we should be vigilant of what's happening because this government is selling our patrimony, our sovereignty and for what? for a few billions of pesos. this is the Treaty of Paris all over again.
ReplyDelete