South China Sea: Manila backtracks on accusing Beijing of "imperialism”
Manila ( AsiaNews / Agencies) -
Manila has withdrawn its allegations that Beijing was beginning to construct buildings
on a group of disputed islands in the South China Sea, thus claiming ownership.
It
is a sudden and embarrassing reversal for the Philippine government over the
Scarborough Shoal, which threatens to undermine the credibility and authority
of the executive led by President Benigno " Noy Noy " Aquino . A
backwards step which is likely to open a new chapter in relations - at an all
time low - between the two countries locked in a regional
dispute that has even involved the United Nations.
The
Philippine head of state had repeatedly accused Beijing of sending ships to
Scarborough Shoal (Huangyan for Beijing ), a group of atolls situated between
the island of Luzon and Zhongsha in the Pacific, carrying concrete blocks . Manila
believed the material was needed to construct buildings and in this way legitimize
territorial claims with outposts in the area.
Today
Benigno Aquino recanted his earlier statements, emphasizing that the blocks
were "very old", there for some time and "by no means a new
phenomenon". He
added that there seemed to be no reason to worry about China's possible
expansionist policies in the area. Finally, the President revealed a meeting
two weeks ago with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Brunei, on the sidelines of an
international summit . While
each nation "still holds thier respective position", over territorial
disputes he said, "at least we spoke about ."
Last
September Beijing reacted harshly to statements by the Philippine Minister of
Defence Voltaire Gazmin, according to whom Chinese boats were carrying blocks
of cement to the islands "as a prelude to a building". And
despite friction with different nations, the Philippines openly and directly charged
China of having an expansionist project in the Asia-Pacific region. At the time, the controversy had reached boiling
point, so much so that President Aquino had to cancel an official trip to the China-ASEAN
Expo in Guangxi, in which the Philippines were " guest of honor" .
Among
the nations of the Asia-Pacific region, China is one with the broadest
territorial claims in the South China Sea. The Spratly and Paracel Islands,
which are almost uninhabited, are rich in natural resources and raw materials. Hegemony
in this area of such strategic importance is crucial for trade and seabed oil
and natural gas development. Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, the Sultanate
of Brunei and Taiwan oppose China's expansionist ambitions, along with the
United States, which has acted behind the scenes to counter Beijing's
imperialism in a region where two-thirds of the world's maritime trade transits.
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