When outgoing president Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo went to China, reportedly to assure the Chinese government officials and businessmen that "all is well" and "there would be continuance of the deals, and bilateral pacts", she was effectively snubbed by Chinese leader Hu Jintao.
Arroyo expected to meet Hu during the Shanghai expo. She was with her husband, First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, Trade secretary Jesli Lapus and a host of other Cabinet officials (mainly members of the DOTC).
Hu instead called incoming president Noynoy Aquino and congratulated him as the new President of the Philippines. Hu, reports say, did not want to meet Arroyo. Shanghai Communist Party chief Yu Zhengsheng was the one whom Arroyo met, a petty government official.
Arroyo's meeting with Yu is a humiliating gesture especially coming from the "top ally" of the Arroyo administration. Imagine, a country's head of state conversing with a petty official, sort of a mayor's Chief of Staff.
This "snubbing" was not reported before the local media. Gary Olivar, the palace deputy spokesman, tried to hide the "snubbing" by saying that it was cancelled before the expo.
We all know that official meets like these are scheduled ahead of time. Last June 8, Malacanang announced that the Hu-Arroyo meeting is a bilateral meeting meant to strengthen RP-China ties. It was the most critical leg of the 3-day Shanghai China trip of Mrs. Arroyo, the last under her administration.
The question every one is asking is--what would happen to RP-China relations under the Aquino administration. WILL Aquino honor onerous deals entered into by Arroyo with China? Will companies like the ZTE continue to operate under the Aquino regime?
Will Aquino review all the mining deals entered into by the Philippine government with ZTE?
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