After Phl protest, Rody, Chinese official meet

By Christina Mendez

Philippine StarJanuary 18, 2017

ricky l

16 seconds ago

China will rise phenomenally in Asia Pacific region with 500 million middle income earners and will grow stronger and stronger economically.

Like it or not, neighbors around China will definitely feel the impact of China's growth.

And Asia Pacific region will have to engage China constructively to promote peace, wealth and prosperity through economic deals, trade, business.

As neighbors, there will definitely be disputes - while through rule of law can help to iron out disputes while at the same time striking deals and agreement on territorial dispute through sweeten economic deals.

In this case, it will be a "Win-Win outcome" - where both parties win some and lose some.

But in the longer run, both parties will win through extensive economic relationship.

As neighbors of China, to gain bigger benefits, Philippines should become a larger entity to engage China via the ASEAN community - so that as ASEAN in one community - will have a larger market and a louder voice when negotiating with China - so that there will be Economies of Scale in Economic deals that will benefit both ASEAN and China collectively.

This is the only beneficial way going forward.

• 

  ricky l

  5 seconds ago

  Military confrontation based on Nationalism - will hurt both Countries - and disturb the peace - and hurt the regional Economy.
  
  Only through peaceful means of dispute resolution through - peaceful deals will be the way forward ---- though this will entail compromise and sacrifices from both sides --- where both parties will win some and lose some.
  
  But in the long run, both sides will gain --- through constructive Economic relationship.
• • 

    ricky l

    15 seconds ago

    Let us look at 2 extreme scenarios if peaceful resolution is not strike between the 2 Countries.
    
    (1) Philippines is adamant not to relent a single inch and keep all the islands. China withdraw all Economic deals with Philippines.
    
    Philippines keep all the islands but lose big economically.
    China will keep harassing Philippines militarily.
    
    This is not an ideal situation for both Philippines and China.
    The Asia Pacific region also suffer from the harassment.
    
    (2) China take all the islands, Philippines will not be happy and will constantly harass the Chinese in the islands or team up with bigger Countries to harass China.
    
    China also cannot live peacefully - and both Countries suffer.
    The Asia Pacific region also suffer from the harassment.
    
    Thus it best for both Philippines and China to resolve the maritime dispute peacefully through negotiation and sweeten economic deals - where both sides keep some islands and signed a peaceful deals once and for all.

  • US-China relationship key to stability of APAC region: Ng Eng Hen

    • Posted 19 Feb 2017 12:02
     
    • Updated 19 Feb 2017 23:33
    • VIDEOS
    • PHOTOS

    
    • 19
     
     
     
    •  Email
    •  More

     
    • • A
       
      • A
     
    SINGAPORE: How the US and China engage with each other and Asian countries will be key to the stability of the Asia Pacific (APAC) region comprising East Asia, the Korean Peninsula and ASEAN, Singapore's Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said on Sunday (Feb 19). 

    Speaking at the 53rd Munich Security Conference in Germany, Dr Ng said that with a new US administration at the helm, it was "particularly important" for both the US and China to articulate their foreign policy objectives towards Asia.

    The minister said a pertinent question would be how the continued US presence and influence in the APAC region would be legitimised under current US president Donald Trump's “America first” policy, which pledges to make policy decisions to benefit American workers and American families. 

    "If US foreign policy, de facto is predominantly anti-China, I think it will be a frustrating decade for many of us in ASEAN and in Asia. Similarly for China, if its efforts are viewed as means to usurp US as the resident Pacific power. Countries will de facto have to choose sides and be put into lose-win situations," he said. 

    However, if both countries grounded their foreign policy on a "transactional basis" – with the US providing the security umbrella in exchange for trading privileges or commercial gains, and China bartering security considerations with countries that need access to Chinese markets – it could start trading and even security blocs, the minister said.

    Dr Ng said it was not in doubt that the US would be able to continue its presence and influence in the Pacific as a military power.

    "But this military prowess while necessary is insufficient for continued stability and progress in Asia," he added.

    Similarly, the Defence Minister said that as a rising power China had to articulate its inclusive vision for Asia and beyond.

    "That vision will realistically serve China’s interests but not exclusively, and must also provide other countries the assurance of clear common and acceptable rules around which countries can evolve a new order."

    In these "uncertain times", Dr Ng said, existing platforms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum, East Asia Summit and the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus will need to play productive roles to promote a better understanding with US, China and other countries.
    
    
    - CNA/mz