China’s Xi leaves PH after Apec leaders’ meet
Chinese President Xi Jinping is welcomed by President Benigno S. Aquino III during the APEC Welcome Ceremony held at the MOA Arena in Pasay City. JOAN BONDOC
China President Xi Jinping on Thursday left the Philippines after the leaders’ meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) 2015 summit held in Manila.
He departed from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) at 5:15 p.m.
The Philippines has vowed not to tackle the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) dispute during the Apec summit. However, US President Barack Obama, in a press conference with reporters during the summit week, vowed “rock solid commitment” to defend Philippines in the dispute. US also gave the Philippines a research vessel and a coast guard cutter to bolster the Navy’s hold over the disputed waters.
READ: Obama: We have rock solid commitment to defense of PH
The Apec summit was held in Manila amid the maritime case before the United Nations-backed International Arbitration Tribunal filed by the Philippines against China over the dispute on the West Philippine Sea.
President Xi had an awkward red-carpet walk on Wednesday after President Aquino appeared to be ignoring him while chatting with Chile President Michelle Bachelet as the three of them walked together toward an Apec leaders’ dialogue.
READ: Xi endures lonely red-carpet Apec welcome
A day after the tense opening of the leaders’ meeting, however, Aquino shook hands and walked while conversing with Xi before the Apec retreat on Thursday. Aquino also stood with Xi for the family photo.
During the Apec CEO Summit, Xi talked about peace before executives in the region, asking member-economies to look beyond the seas that separated the countries and call the Pacific Ocean “our common home.”
READ: Awkward no more: Aquino chats with China’s Xi before Apec retreat
“I am confident that the vast Pacific Ocean will become a bridge of cooperation, a bond of friendship and a place we call our common home,” Xi said.
China is claiming jurisdiction over seas the Philippines asserts are within its exclusive economic zone under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The Unclos is the primary international law which governs maritime disputes on overlapping maritime zones.
READ: Amid sea row, Xi calls for peace; ‘Pacific Ocean our common home’
China has refused to participate in the case even though the Philippines scored initial victory when the tribunal ruled that it had jurisdiction over the maritime dispute.
China has also built artificial islands over the disputed waters large enough to carry ships and planes, compelling the Philippines and ally United States to station patrol ships near the land reclamation works.
Instead of tackling the maritime dispute, Beijing is pushing for the establishment of a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) which it advocated during its last year’s hosting of the Apec summit. RC
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