Political scientist suggests constant dialogue in keeping Philippine-China relations

A political scientist on Thursday suggests that the Philippine government maintain a line of communication with China by continuously holding a dialogue as well as implement security preparations in light of the security challenges connected to the construction of an international airport project in Sangley Point.

In an interview on Quarantined with Howie Severino, Rommel Banlaoi of the Philippine Association for Chinese Studies said the issue depends on one's perception of the Philippine-China relations.

"Kung ang pananaw natin na ang China talagang kalaban natin, kaaway natin 'yan, anumang maliit na gagawin niya sa region, particularly sa bansa natin ay magiging source ng ating mga security anxieties, magiging source talaga 'yan ng mga worries natin," Banlaoi said.

"Pero kung iba ang pananaw natin, kung kino-consider natin ang China bilang kaibigan at opportunities ang kanyang idudulot sa atin, kung meron man tayong agam-agam ay mas mababawasan 'yon," he added.

Banlaoi said that in his opinion, under the Duterte administration, the view on the relations of the two countries has changed to a more fraternal approach.

Severino had raised the issue that a Chinese company, the China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), which has been banned in the US, is currently working with a Philippines-based firm on a project in Sangley Point.

The CCCC, which was blacklisted by the United States for helping build artificial islands in the West Philippine Sea, and the Lucio Tan’s MarcoAsia Corp. have bagged the contract for the initial phase of the Sangley Point International Airport project.

On security challenges, Banlaoi said, these can be addressed through dialogue and heightened security preparations.

He explained that there are security challenges because the project involves the construction of an airport that has communication facilities and radars to monitor air traffic.

"Kung hindi tayo magpa practice ng due diligence at hindi natin mababantayan ang mga activities ng kahit na anong foreign entities na nag-ooperate sa atin ay pwedeng gamitin mismo ang ating teritoryo sa mga surveillance activity nila," he said.

"Lalung-lalo na ang China na ang China ngayon, Howie, ay talagang top of the line na ang kanyang na-achieve sa area ng technologies particularly the application of 5G kaya nga ang mga major powers very alarmed sa breakthroughs na-aachieve ngayon ng China when it comes to the use of 5G technologies talagang advanced yan, top of the line," he added.

Severino also said, based on articles published online, the Chinese company in question is also involved in the construction of artificial islands within disputed territory.

Banlaoi replied that it is this particular projects was the basis for tapping them for the land reclamation project at Sangley Point.

This issue, he added, is considered de facto and is currently included in the discussion in the Bilateral Consultative Mechanism in the South China Sea.

Presently, the Sangley Point project should be considered as a means to address the needs of the local government to develop an airport in the area as facilities should be improved as preparation for future economic activities.

"So 'yung ino-offer nung kumpanya ng China ay binigyan tayo ng magandang terms in order to undertake that project," said Banlaoi.

"Ngayon kung mayroon siyang political implications then we will deal with it," he added.

It is essential, he underscored, to cultivate a good relationship with China.

There has been, however, mixed reactions on the status of the relationship of the Philippine government with China.

In November 2019, a Social Weather Survey found that Filipinos’ net trust in China fell from poor to bad.

In August, tensions once again rose after China urged the Philippines to stop its supposedly “illegal provocations” in the West Philippine Sea.

This was issued by China after the Philippines filed a diplomatic protest against China for “illicit issuances of radio challenges against Philippine aircraft” that were conducting legitimate regular maritime patrols in the area.

“Well, it will take time to really build trust but, right now, we really have to build trust. Kasi that’s a permanence in our relationship with China. China is our neighbor, very close neighbor, whether we like it or not permanent ‘yan, hindi natin mapipili ang kaibigan natin, so mahalaga na we have to build trust,” Banglaoi said.

In 2016, an arbitral tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands invalidated Beijing’s claims over the West Philippine Sea, saying that there was “no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within the sea areas falling within the nine-dash line.”

China has previously said that it will not accept the ruling. -- Joahna Lei Casilao/BAP, GMA News