What is our China policy?

While the United States and other allied countries in the Pacific join forces in crafting a China engagement policy, here, in our country, there is probably one policy that governs our actions and relations with this emerging power. However, this policy regularly shifts or changes every, single, whim of the sitting authority. This has got to stop.

There should be a consistent policy on China regardless of who dons the Presidential suit. This policy should be well-thought, modern and up-to-date. The policy should be written by a well-known and highly respected Sinologist, just like Professor Aileen Baviera of the UP Asian Institute. 

Baviera is the country's foremost Sinologist but you rarely read her name in the papers. She used to head the Center for International Relations and Strategic Studies (CIRSS) of the Foreign Service Institute of the Department of Foreign Affairs. She is my former professor and is active in engaging officials in Sino affairs. If there is one woman who understands China more than the average Chinese, it is Professor Aileen Baviera.

The thing is, apart from Sonia Brady, there is no other diplomat capable of giving the right assessment on Chinese actions, other than Baviera. Baviera should be tapped by our government and lead a committee to create a consistent China policy. This would avoid the unfortunate and shameful use of "backroom negotiators".

Backroom negotiators are needed only when diplomacy has reached an impasse between Executives of both countries. In the previous China-RP boat standoff at Scarborough shoal, you don't need a backdoor negotiator to resolve that, had the Philippine government followed strictly the established Philippine diplomatic policy with China and had it been consistent in implementing this policy. No. The Philippines fidgetted in that situation, that explains the disgust of Foreign Affairs secretary Alberto del Rosario and Senate president Juan Ponce Enrile. Such a simple