Category: Foreign Affairs

Aquino living up to the role of U.S. dummy

Published by Ellen on November 20, 2012

Aquino in Cambodia for asean summit — Aquino in 2012 Asean and dialogue partners summit in Cambodia

In a United States-written script, President Aquino performed his role very well as the American dummy in Southeast Asia at the 21st Asean summit in Cambodia.

In a speech before leaders belonging to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the group’s dialogue partners that included the United States and China, Aquino urged the U.S. to be involved in the South China Sea dispute.

Parts of the speech:“It is especially vital to have the world’s largest national economy involved in the discussions considering the interconnectedness of our current milieu…

“Each one of our nations has a stake in the stability of Southeast Asia. The United States understands this and, for this reason, has chosen to work with us to ensure the peace and continuous advancement of our region.”

The Inquirer reported that Aquino said the US presence at the Asean summits “adds a special dimension to our regional discussions particularly on issues that have far-reaching political and economic implications.”

Veteran diplomat Lauro Baja on the ‘New China’

Published by Ellen on November 8, 2012

The changing of the guards in China is ongoing at the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China which started yesterday.

Chinese President Hu Jintao will turn over leadership to Vice President Xi Jinping.

One of the Philippines’ seasoned diplomats, Lauro Baja, formerly the country’s permanent representative to the United Nations talked to some members of media and shared his thoughts on how the Philippines should deal with the “new China.”

Baja, who also served as Foreign Affairs undersecretary for policy, thinks despite the change in leadership, China “will not be able to veer away too much from what is existing now. “

But, he said, “there is now a new dynamic in China, the news is now more vocal, the social media is more vocal and there is a greater degree of nationalism among people in the streets. As a matter of fact they now think and they may be rightly so that they are now the center of the world. “

Leadership-related events in US and China

Published by Ellen on November 4, 2012

Obama and Romney in their second presidential debate last Oct 18.

This week, the two most powerful countries on earth are holding top leadership-related events.

Tuesday, Nov. 6 is Election Day in the United States of America.

The US continues to be a major influence to Filipinos, with many of us having relatives there. Media outfits and individuals are monitoring the race, a number of them taking sides.

Reports said the presidential race is tight between Barack Obama, a Democrat who is seeking a second term and Republican candidate Mitt Romney.

China, on Thursday, Nov. 8 will hold its 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in Beijing. Held every five years, the Chinese Embassy in Manila said there’s “a remarkable increase” of overseas journalists applying for accreditation for the event, compared to the number that covered the 17th Congress.

The back channels: Trillanes, US and Pangilinan

Published by Ellen on September 20, 2012

By Ellen Tordesillas, VERA Files

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV acted as the Philippines’ backdoor negotiator with China from April to July this year, communicating with Chinese foreign affairs officials in a role, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said, in which he won “minor successes.”

Lacierda, though, did not give details.

Trillanes said President Benigno S. Aquino III gave him the assignment verbally and could not produce any documents to prove he was acting in an official capacity. The role was fraught with deniability, with Malacanang even saying it was Trillanes who sought the job.

Based on various interviews with Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario, senior foreign affairs officials, military officials, Chinese sources and with Trillanes himself, VERA Files assembled the following timeline of Trillanes’ involvement in the dispute between the Philippines and China over Panatag, also called Scarborough Shoal:

April 8, 2012

Word war at the Senate

Published by Ellen on September 19, 2012

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV on Wednesday accused Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile of being a “GMA lackey” for supposedly rushing a bill that would cut…

China reaches out thru Mar Roxas

Published by Ellen on September 18, 2012

An opportunity for newly-appointed Interior and Local Government Mar Roxas to help in the healing of bruised ties with China has been presented by the Chinese government with its invitation for him to attend the 9th ASEAN- China expo in Nanning, the capital of China’s Guangxizhuang Autonomous Region starting this weekend (Sept 21 to 25).

There is no word yet if Roxas has accepted the invitation.

Sept. 20 -Secretary del Rosario recommends Secretary Roxas as special envoy to the 9th China-Asean Expo

Read story in comments.

ASEAN leaders expected to attend the Expo include Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra , Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Myanmar President U Thein Sein.

President Aquino is going to Brunei on Sunday to attend the wedding of a daughter of Sultan Bolkiah.

China is being politically astute in inviting Roxas.

Philippine media – a convenient scapegoat

Published by Ellen on September 13, 2012

Aquino and Lee Hsien Long at APEC — President Aquino and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Long in APEC

Philippine media have their ample share of problems, one of them irresponsible reporting, but on the report on alleged support of Singapore for the Philippine position in the West Philippine Sea, they correctly reported what was officially conveyed to them.

The statement released by the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs last Sept. 10 insulted Philippine media.

The statement:

American who risked life to stop Gadhafi killed in Libya

Published by Ellen on September 12, 2012

By the CNN Wire Staff

Ambassador ‘loved Libya so much’

Stevens AFP photo — Photo by Agence France Presse

Tripoli, Libya (CNN) — Chris Stevens, an American who risked his life to help Libyans overthrow dictator Moammar Gadhafi, was killed overnight in the former rebel capital of Benghazi — a city he helped save, making it an especially tragic place for him to die, President Obama said Wednesday.

An Arabic speaker who loved Libya and understood it deeply, Stevens died along with three other Americans when an angry mob stormed the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi. He was the first U.S. ambassador to be killed in the line of duty since 1979.

The consulate was one of several American diplomatic missions in the Middle East to face protests Tuesday after the release online of a film mocking Islam and depicting the Muslim Prophet Mohammed as a child molester, womanizer and ruthless killer.

Enthralling night of music and food at Vietnam National Day

Published by Ellen on September 1, 2012

Bui Cong Duy with Raul Sunico on the piano

Give it to the dynamic Vietnam Ambassador Nguyen Vu Tu to come up with creative ways to enhance Philippine –Vietnam relations. Last year, it was a fashion show featuring Vietnam and Philippine national dresses.

Last Tuesday’s celebration of Vietnam’s 67th National Day had a concert featuring Filipino and Vietnamese songs as well as classics and Broadway hits.

Violinist Bui Cong Duy opened the concert with spellbinding Libersfreud (Love’s Joy) by Friedrich “Fritz” Kreisler. After a Vietnamese piece, Nho Que (Missing my Home Village), he did Hatinggabi by Antonio Molina.

Canadian Embassy welcomes proposals for funding small-grants projects

Published by Ellen on August 30, 2012

The Embassy of Canada announced that its small-grants facility is now accepting proposals for funding small development projects in the country.

The Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) will provide direct funding assistance to community groups, non-government organizations, people’s organizations and in exceptional cases, international NGOs, and government institutions for small projects addressing governance, democracy, capacity-building, economic, and other social development issues.

The CFLI or Canada Fund invites applications for short-term (maximum of 6 months, October, 2012 to March 31, 2013 implementation period) development projects that will have a positive impact on the proposed project’s target sector and participants.