President says he presented PHL’s ‘new face’ at Apec

PRESIDENT Aquino returned to Manila on Sunday night after what he described as a “short but significant and fruitful visit” to Vladivostok, Russia, where he attended the 20th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Leaders’ Meeting and presented to 20 other leaders what he called the “new face of the Philippines.”

In his arrival statement at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 (Naia 2), he said the Philippines had “successfully conveyed to 20 other economies our aim to work together not only to achieve progress but also to build the foundation of cooperation and peace.”

“As a whole, we had successfully presented the new face of the Philippines, more open for business and opportunities, a level playing field for those ready to invest and with a broader center of commerce and trade not only in the Asia Pacific but the whole world,” the President added.

He said some of the points agreed upon at the Apec meeting included the formation of strategies to strengthen regional trade and investment, the creation of stronger supply chains and the implementation of reforms to ensure long-term food supply in the region.

“I am convinced that this [regional] cooperation will create a wall that will shield us from any financial storm that may come upon the region. All of the agreements, cooperation, initiatives started in Apec are focused only on bringing forth a progressive and productive Asia Pacific for the next generations,” Mr. Aquino added.

He held separate bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Singapore, Chile, Malaysia and Vietnam, but not with Chinese President Hu Jintao due to scheduling difficulties, according to Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario.

The President said that in his bilateral meetings with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Saturday and with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang on Sunday, the three leaders expressed their support for issues related to the territorial dispute in the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea).

“The leaders of Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam extended their strong support for issues that have wide-ranging effects and implications on the region, particularly discussions on the West Philippine Sea,” according to Mr. Aquino.

Until Saturday night, he still appeared hopeful that he would have a frank exchange with Hu that he believed would lead to the easing of tensions between the two countries in the South China Sea.

In an interview with the Philippine media in Vladivostok on Saturday, the President said he had “asked for a frank exchange of thoughts” and hoped that their discussion would “lead to an understanding.”

On Sunday del Rosario said in a brief interview with the media at the Naia 2 that the meeting did not take place because of “scheduling “problems.”

“We ran out of time…. It was at their suggestion and we came up with a format and so we were trying to set a schedule that was convenient for both leaders. But as time went on, it became more impossible so at the end of the day, it didn’t take place,” he added.

When asked whether it was regrettable that the meeting did not take place, del Rosario said, “It would have been, I think, a step forward.”

He told the news briefing in Vladivostok that Mr. Aquino discussed with his Malaysian counterpart ways to enhance investment and trade and defense cooperation, and the South China Sea dispute, as well as the peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) that the Philippines expects to bear fruit in “a couple of months.”

“There were some trade and investment initiatives, one in Kuala Lumpur and one that’s planned for Hong Kong in terms of an investment forum. I think these are initiatives that will try to move the many opportunities offered between the two countries in terms of enhancing bilateral trade and investments,” del Rosario said.

On defense cooperation, according to him, the two leaders agreed to push for the finalization of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.

Del Rosario said, “Both leaders had expressed the need to be able to adopt a common [position] in Asean [Asociation of Southeast Asian Nations] in terms of the challenges in the West Philippine Sea and we are also together in terms of support for the forward movement of the Code of Conduct.”

He added that Najib shared the optimism of the President that a final peace agreement between the government and the MILF would be inked this year, and that Mr. Aquino thanked Malaysia for mediating the peace talks.

Should that happen, the Prime Minister informed the President that he would like to be present at the formal signing ceremonies of the peace agreement.

“There is optimism between the two leaders in that there’s expectation the peace process could be finalized in the next couple of months. In that event, the Prime Minister of Malaysia had expressed the desire to be present at the signing,” del Rosario said.

He added that Mr. Aquino’s meeting with the Vietnamese president “was a renewal of the deep friendship between our two countries and the common challenges that we face in terms of the disputes in the West Philippine Sea.”

On Saturday the President held separate bilateral meetings with Chilean President Sebastian Piñera and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

He and Piñera agreed to strengthen cooperation on geothermal energy development and in mining.

Mr. Aquino “basically requested that we increase the number of or the volume of investments and interaction between Philippine companies or the Philippine government and the Chilean government regarding geothermal energy,” Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras told the Philippine media in Vladivistok.

Almendras said during the meeting, it was agreed that the Philippines would share with Chile “some of the frameworks or the structures that we have developed in the Philippines that has become very encouraging for private companies to go into geothermal [power].”

He added that the Foreign Affairs Minister of Chile also told him that he would instruct the Ambassador of Chile to the Philippines to meet with him next week “to start the initiatives as soon as possible.”

Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima said the Philippines wanted to learn from the “best practices of Chile” in terms of taxing their mining industry.

“Chile is the world’s largest exporter of copper and a few years ago they revised the scheme of taxation of their mining industry that is one that recognizes the volatility of mining prices. So this is one that we would like to study,” Purisima added.

Pinera, who had been to the Philippines thrice in a private capacity, had invited the President to visit Chile to further strengthen their bilateral ties, according to Purisima.

Chile and the Philippines also agreed to increase cooperation in aquaculture development and education.

Del Rosario said during the bilateral meeting between the President and the Singapore Prime Minister, Mr. Aquino thanked Singapore for its “very strong support” for the Philippines on the South China Sea issue.

“Singapore has committed to continue its support in terms of a peaceful resolution of the disputes in accordance with international law, including Unclos [United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea],” he added.

Del Rosario said Lee “also expressed the need for Asean to strengthen its solidarity and centrality in being able to reinforce the importance of Asean being an entity that would promote peace and stability in the region.”

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said the Philippines primarily pushed for “expanded trade” at the Apec meeting.

He added that this was to ensure that other Apec member-nations would not take a “protectionist stance in relation to trade even in the wake of the current euro crisis and the slowdown of some countries like China.”

Balisacan said the Philippines espoused the position that Apec member-economies “need to solve the problems that are facing our domestic economies in ways that we will not curtail expansion of trade.”

Despite Apec’s role as a consensus-led forum, its annual summit in Vladivostok did not advance any major new policy initiatives. A statement from the group’s leaders mostly endorsed earlier calls for freer trade, combating corruption and allowing exchange rates to fluctuate more freely.

Still, Pacific Rim leaders pledged also on Sunday to fend off the deepening damage from the European crisis and revive flagging growth in the region by supporting open trade, reforming their economies and strengthening public finances.

The 21-member Apec forum wrapped up the summit in this Russian seaport in the country’s Far East, vowing to work together to support growth and restore confidence in shaken financial markets.

“Our work was constructive. We have specific results and I am satisfied with the outcome of the work,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said of the event, which showcased Moscow’s ambitions to expand trade and business along its long-neglected Pacific coast.

The leaders issued the statement welcoming European leaders’ promises to help stabilize the crisis-stricken euro region and warning against “excess volatility” and distortions in financial markets. The Apec leaders said they would work to reduce deficits and imbalances in their countries’ own finances.

“The events in Europe are adversely affecting growth in the region. In such circumstances, we are resolved to work collectively to support growth and foster financial stability, and restore confidence,” their statement said.

“We remain committed to reducing imbalances by strengthening deficit economies’ public finances with sound and sustainable policies that take into account evolving economic conditions,” the Pacific leaders added.

Despite signs that robust growth in the dynamic Asia Pacific has been sapped by reduced demand for the region’s exports, Putin described the attitude among his fellow leaders as one of “constrained optimism.” –MIA M. GONZALEZ / REPORTER, Businessmirror (AP)