MANILA, Philippines—Hit them where it hurts.”
Balikbayan (returning Filipino) philanthropist, civil leader and
lawyer Loida Nicolas-Lewis has called on the government to “show
courage” by hitting back at China for “bullying” small countries like
the Philippines and violating the country’s territorial sovereignty.
Lewis also reminded Filipinos worldwide, including an undisclosed
number of Chinese-Filipinos, to rally in front of China’s embassies and
consulates on May 11 to protest China’s aggressive encroachments on
Scarborough Shoal, located 124 nautical miles west of Zambales province
and more than 440 nautical miles from the nearest Chinese port of
Hainan.
“China is a bully…She must be hit with moves like trade tariff. Let
the Philippine Congress show its courage by passing a law that would
impose tariff on all Chinese goods,” Lewis told the Philippine Daily
Inquirer on Saturday.
That is, despite the free trade agreement between Beijing and
Association of Southeast Nations member-states, like the Philippines,
asserted Lewis, chairperson of the New York-based group US Pinoys for
Good Governance (USP4GG).
“If China files a case against us before the World Trade Organization
for violation of the free trade agreement, then we could pursue our
plan to bring the Scarborough Shoal case to the International Tribunal
on the Law of the Sea (based in Hamburg, Germany),” Lewis said.
Citing China’s reported incursions in the West Philippine Sea (South
China Sea), she asked: “What kind of world power are they if they are
the one violating international laws?”
China should be good global citizen
“As a world power, China should show that it is a good global
citizen. It should follow international laws, including the UN
Convention on the Law of the Sea,” said Lewis.
Asked if the US had a role to play in settling the Philippines-China
standoff over the shoal – now on its 20th day – Lewis pointed out
Washington’s role would be to “comply with its obligations under the
Philippines-US Mutual Defense Treaty.”
“The Americans are obligated to come to our aid if China attacks the
Philippines…. The US will come to our aid because it is to their
self-interest to protect freedom of trade in the West Philippine Sea. If
they do not fight with us in the event of a shooting war, then the
global community will consider them a second-rate nation,” she said.
At the same time, Lewis cited the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)
for its diplomatic offensive in Asean and currently in the US.
“The DFA is on the right track, doing it diplomatically. That is the
correct way of solving the dispute at this point,” said Lewis as he
thanked both President Aquino and Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del
Rosario for “standing their ground on the Scarborough Shoal issue.”
Call on Filipinos abroad
Like Rodel Rodis, USP4GG president, Lewis called on the 12
million-plus Filipinos abroad to support the Philippines’ sovereign
claim to the Scarborough Shoal, which Manila calls Panatag and Bajo de
Masinloc.
On the other hand, China refers to the rock formation as Huangyan Island.
The USP4GG noted that the territorial dispute over the shoal has escalated following these developments:
* Chinese navy ships recently confronted the Philippine navy vessel, the BRP Gregorio del Pilar,
which sought to apprehend Chinese boats illegally fishing in the area
and found to contain corals, rare fish and live baby sharks, which are
considered illegal under Philippine law.
* Chinese navy ships have fired on and harassed unarmed Philippine
fishing boats and marine research vessels, forcing them to withdraw.
* Chinese navy ships have dropped steel posts and navigation buoys with Chinese markings in the waters around the shoal.
On Saturday, a Chinese vessel reportedly harassed two Philippine Coast Guard ships by maneuvering close to them at high speed.
The Coast Guard monitored and documented the Chinese “bullying” incidents, said Raul Hernandez, the DFA spokesman.
Gov’t backing
Malacañang over the weekend said it backed the move of Filipino
groups worldwide to hold anti-China rallies, but asked them to ensure
peaceful activities.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the government
could “not stop our fellowmen from expressing their sentiments.”
“Our only appeal is for them to make their protests orderly and
peaceful since they are in foreign countries. Let us all observe the
laws and regulations in whatever country that they are in,” Valte said
as she also warned the mass actions could aggravate the current tensions
between Manila and Beijing.
She said the government would be “committed to taking the diplomatic track. We expect to pursue that track fully.”
“But, of course, these are private citizens that we have. The
citizens of China also do express their thoughts on this matter and we
do not take it against them,” she also said.
At the same time, Valte expressed hope China would not retaliate to
the Filipinos’ mass actions “because the government remains committed to
talking to its counterparts in China, and we hope and we know that this
is something that can be settled through the track that the government
has chosen.”
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Jerry E. Esplanada | Philippine Daily Inquirer | April 29, 2012 | Article Link
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