PH elated with presence of China’s Xi–foreign affairs secretary

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario has said the Philippines, which is hosting the ongoing Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) leaders’ summit, is elated with the presence of Chinese President Xi Jinping here as he admits the government has promised that it will be a “good host.”

The Chinese president was among the Apec heads of states that included US President Barack Obama who arrived today for the two-day conference, which starts on Wednesday.

This as Del Rosario said Apec foreign and trade ministers concluded their two-day meeting on Tuesday without discussing the controversial South China Sea, a subject that had strained ties between China and the Philippines.

“The Apec agenda did not include any items on the South China Sea,” Del Rosario, who chaired the 27th Apec Ministerial Meeting along with Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo, said on Tuesday.

Del Rosario was asked whether the Apec foreign and trade ministers touched on the issue of the South China Sea, since they had discussed about the “blue economy,” particularly on the problem of Filipino fishermen being prevented by Chinese vessels from going into fishing grounds in the disputed waters.

The secretary himself said at the press briefing that Apec ministers endorsed “an action plan on food security and blue economy which will help ensure the security of the region’s trade supply by addressing illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing, among others.”

Del Rosario made it clear, however, that there was no such discussion at the AMM.

Apec officials earlier said maritime security matters would not be taken up in the summit since Apec was all about “economic matters.”

Asked what Manila did to convince Xi to attend the Apec summit, Del Rosario replied by saying the Philippines welcomed the Chinese president’s “presence and attendance” here.

“We’re very happy he’s here and we believe that he has honored our invitation. He (Xi) has been promised that we would be a good host,” Del Rosario said.

A week before the Apec meetings, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi planed in from Beijing and had a meeting with Del Rosario.

The Philippines and China have been at odds over massive Chinese reclamation activities in the disputed South China Sea, including shoals and other maritime features with the West Philippine Sea.

Manila has taken its protest against China’s occupation of its shoals before the UN arbitration tribunal but Beijing has ignored its proceedings.

The UN tribunal had recently decided it had jurisdiction over the Philippine case against China. RC