PRESIDENT
Duterte ended the Republic’s subservience to the US, which its past 11
presidents either failed to do so, or even worsened, as his unthinking
predecessor did.
Duterte
has about five years to go, and the US imperial eagle will still try pull back
its old pawn in the Pacific under its claws. We will see though the benefits of
independence from the US, so that Duterte will most likely get the nation’s
support for his earth-shaking change in our subservient foreign policy. That
will be one of his most important legacies.
The
timing of Duterte couldn’t be better. *
The picture that says it all regarding the PHL-Japan relation under the Duterte administration (photo credit to owner) |
It is
only in recent years that China has indisputably emerged as an economic and
military power, and the dire prognostications that its hundreds of millions of
its poor in its inner territory will slow down its growth have not occurred.
World Bank economists are applauding what they see as China’s miracle, that
from 1988 to 2013, it has lifted out of extreme poverty (those living on $1.90
per day, or roughly P96 per day) 800 million of its citizens from 1988 to 2013.
The
very pro-American Aquino regime’s filing of a case against China over its
claims in the South China Sea made the Chinese see us as the US proxy in a
dispute that is not its business at all. Despite this legal battle with China,
Duterte in only a few months managed to warm up to this Asian superpower.
China
seems to have put that arbitration decision we won behind it—as indeed most of
the world has. Proof of this is that China pledged during Duterte’s state visit
$9 billion in low-interest or soft loans for our infrastructure projects. Total
Chinese economic assistance promised by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Duterte
is estimated at $24 billion.
Now,
the other economic superpower in Asia, Japan, which also has serious
territorial disputes with China, can’t be outdone in wooing the Philippines. It
rushed to extend to the country a similar magnitude of soft loans. *
That
idea isn’t even just my analysis. A news story that was published a few days
ago in the privately owned Japan Times, the largest and oldest English-language
newspaper in Japan, said much the same thing. The longtime city mayor who a
Yellow writer said wouldn’t understand international geopolitics, is proving to
be adept in diplomacy – the essence of which is take advantage of other
countries’ self-interest, in order to advance the interests of one’s country.
The
Japan Times article
Following is the text of the Japan Times story:
During a summit in Tokyo with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday reaffirmed Tokyo’s commitment to providing economic cooperation worth ¥1 trillion over the next five years.
The
move is seen as an economic assistance race against Beijing to form a better
relationship with Manila.
Abe
has been trying hard to win Duterte over in dealing with territorial disputes
in the South China Sea, in which the Philippines is a key diplomatic player.
Meanwhile,
China, too, is trying to woo Manila by pledging to extend economic assistance
worth $24 billion (¥2.5 trillion). The pledge was made when Chinese President
Xi Jinping met with Duterte in Beijing in October last year.
Then,
in January, Abe pledged that the government and private-sector corporations
will extend economic cooperation worth ¥1 trillion over five years to help
Duterte’s initiatives to revamp social infrastructure, including projects to
build subways in Manila and improve rivers in Davao City, where Duterte served
as mayor for many years. *
“The
government of Japan will strongly support the sustainable economic development
of the Philippines by extending quality infrastructure assistance, using
Japan’s funding and technology,” a joint statement issued by the two leaders
said.
Japan’s
assistance will include programs to ease “serious traffic congestion” in Manila
and to “vitalize other areas” as well, it read.
For
his part, Duterte has been trying to “maximize” economic assistance both from
Japan and China, said Wataru Kusaka, associate professor of political science
at the Graduate School of International Development at Nagoya University.
“Duterte’s
intention looks very clear. He is trying to maximize what he can win from Japan
and China,” Kusaka said.
“So,
it’s important for Tokyo to have Philippine people feel that Japan is moving
fast, in particular in assisting social infrastructure projects. That’s why
infrastructure projects come at the top of the list” of economic cooperation
items in a summary of a joint statement released by the Japanese government the
same day, Kusaka said.
According
to the gist, Japan also pledged to help the Philippines introduce better
electric and liquefied natural gas facilities to improve the country’s power
supply systems.
Tokyo
will also help the Philippines crack down on the use of illegal drugs and aid
the country in strengthening its maritime safety organization to monitor
coastal areas, the statement read.
“He is
trying to tread a fine line of balanced diplomacy with China, the US and
Japan,” Kusaka said. *
Since
taking office last year, Duterte has put a fresh emphasis on Japan and China,
thereby creating a situation where the two economic powers are “competing” to
impress Manila with promises of generous fund infusions.
But at
the same time, Duterte, despite his crude rhetoric against Washington, may be
viewing the US in a different light after US-led troops intervened to help
Manila fight Islamic State-linked militants in what became a five-month-long
conflict in Marawi, the associate professor said.
The
article was written by Mr. Rigoberto Tiglao, of the Manila Times titled “Benefits
of not being a US puppet ” which was published November 3,, 2017.
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