All the Duterte gov’t got from China is ‘continuing harassment’: AMTI Director

FILE: Poling who is also a fellow with the Southeast Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said that only “international pressure” can convince China to change its ways. (Photo: CSIS | Center for Strategic & International Studies/Flickr, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) slammed the administration after the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) defended that the government is doing its part in diplomacy against China but not letting the public know.

“All the Duterte government has gotten for its trouble is increased Chinese military deployments, continuing harassment of Filipino troops and economic activities in its waters, promises of investment that haven’t yet materialized, and talks about a code of conduct and joint development that seem to be going nowhere,” AMTI Director Gregory Poling said in an interview with Rappler on May 31, Thursday evening.

Poling who is also a fellow with the Southeast Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said that only “international pressure” can convince China to change its ways.

“The only way China might be convinced to bring its claims into accordance with international law and treat fairly with its neighbors as if international pressure – diplomatic and economic – convinces it that there are costs to its current strategy,” he said.

“The format really isn’t material. What matters is that Philippine objections be made public to help pressure Beijing to change its ways and to support like-minded states like Vietnam, who are doing the same,” Poling added.

The AMTI director stressed that “quietly passing notes to Beijing” as well as “refusing to acknowledge” the harassment of China public is not helping increase that pressure.

Poling is not the first to negate Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano’s claim on private diplomacy.

(Read: Security analyst says diplomatic actions should be publicized)

“Mainam na isapubliko ‘yan para naman makumbinsi ‘yung mamamayang Pilipino, para mapakita na merong ginagawang diplomatic actions ang ating pamahalaan at doon lang talaga ‘yung pwede nating gawin (It is better to publicize these to convince the Filipinos and to ensure them that our government is conducting diplomatic actions and that these are the only things we can do right now),” University Professor Rommel Banlaoi said in an interview with GMA News on May 31, Thursday.

These experts were reacting to what Cayetano said during the briefing by the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea.

“We have been filing a diplomatic protest. But the critics want us to announce it loudly and to confront China each and every time to the media. That is not conducive through the ongoing talks,” Cayetano said on Wednesday.

“Several dozens. Maybe 50, 100. I have to count it over the past two years,” he said, referring to the number of the said protests filed.