MANILA, Philippines - Singaporean Prime
Minister Lee Hsien Loong commended President Aquino on his recent meeting with
China’s President Xi Jinping, saying that China’s willingness to communicate
with the Philippines on the territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea
(South China Sea) would be a good start for the two countries to settle their
differences.
Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda
told reporters the topic was among those raised by Lee following “The World in
2015” gala dinner at the Four Seasons Hotel in Singapore Tuesday evening.
Asked if there was any change in the
Chinese approach in dealing with the West Philippine Sea issue, Aquino said he
hoped there would be.
“The mere fact that we’re talking again
is already a substantial change. Previously, there was a lot of rhetoric that
stated one position to the exclusion of the other,” he said.
“Now that we are talking, that
hopefully signifies that we could really arrive at a compromise and a just
solution to the issue,” the President said,
He also told the event participants
that the Philippines had been pursuing two tracks – crafting a binding code of
conduct and arbitration.
“All
of the parties have reiterated their desire to come up with this code of
conduct at the soonest possible time. But soonest in their diplomatic sphere is
not exactly soonest in a corporate world,” he said.
The Philippines has filed a memorial at
the international tribunal to boost its claim in the West Philippine Sea.
China, which has until December to respond, has rejected the move to elevate
the issue to the international tribunal.
Aside from China and the Philippines,
other countries laying claim to the territory, in whole or in part, include
Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.
Aquino and Lee, meanwhile, met during a
courtesy call made by the President at the Istana main building shortly after
arriving in Singapore for a two-day working visit.
Lacierda said Aquino showed Lee a note
bearing Xi’s statement written in Chinese language, which the Singaporean
leader read and took positively.
“The first remark (of Prime Minister
Lee) after reading the statement was: ‘This is quite a generous discussion,’”
Lacierda told reporters in a press briefing.
He added the Singaporean leader hoped
for a “just and amicable outcome” in the dispute between China and the
Philippines.
Lee, who was also present in the APEC
summits, welcomed the development, echoing Aquino’s belief that the
Philippines’ overall relationship with China should not revolve entirely around
their territorial conflict.
“Our relationship with China is
multifaceted. It’s not focused on the dispute in the South China Sea. We have
other relations with China. For instance, trade, people-to-people, tourism...
So, in that respect, we’re in agreement that (our) relationship with China is
not focused on the dispute,” Lacierda said.
Aquino discussed with Lee the
Philippines’ arbitration case filed before the International Tribunal on the
Law of the Sea and the Singaporean leader was supportive of the general idea
behind such move, he added.
“In Lee’s view, China does not want to
go to war. China would like to have peace with its southern neighbors. And the
President’s answer is that ‘we also don’t have any intention. My interest here
is how to improve the lot of the Filipinos,’” Lacierda said.
“If there are no tensions in the South
China Sea, we can concentrate on making our country more prosperous, more
economically viable with respect to trade relations with China and other
members of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), of APEC, and other
regional trade groups.”
Lacierda said Lee welcomed the fact
that talks with regard to the code of conduct were now moving and that China
was currently reviewing it.
Post a Comment