Palace ‘hopes’ military deal with Canada won’t anger China
After sealing an agreement that sees the Philippines buying defense equipment from Canada to defend its territory, Malacañang remains hopeful that the government’s action will not raise further tensions with China.
At a radio press briefing, deputy presidential spokesman Abigail Valte yesterday said President Aquino is “hoping†that the deal signed by the Philippines and Canada for defense-building won’t have an adverse effect on the Philippine relations with China, even as the Palace official wished it won’t in any way contribute to a heightened tension between Manila and Beijing over a territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).
Valte said the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed last Saturday by Aquino and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper is for a government-to-government transaction on the procurement of defense equipment.
“Hopefully not. The MoU is for government-to-government transaction on procurement of defense and military related equipment,†she said.
Philippines and Canada signed MoU on defense and military-related procurements, witnessed by the President and the Canadian Prime Minister.
Aquino said the deal between the Department of National Defense and the Canadian Commercial Corp. “will help us in our efforts to build our defense and security capabilities.â€
“We have a lot of outmoded equipment,†Aquino said, noting the Philippines has only 132 ships – most of them dating back to World War II – that have to patrol 36,000 km of coastline.
He added in terms of aircraft, the Philippines has “not a... single fighter†in its inventory.
The MoU seeks to ensure expeditious procurement transactions with the Canadian government’s assurance on the quality of equipment from and compliance with procurement contracts by Canadian companies.
The signing came amid increasing tension between the Philippines and China over the Scarborough Shoal.
“At our end, this is part of effort to attain credible minimum defense position. We’re hoping it will not be received any differently by any other party,†Valte said.
But in a move likely to stoke a growing territorial row with its neighbors, China is to ramp up development on a disputed South China Sea island.
The development of roads, water supply and drainage systems will be stepped-up in the new “capital†city of Sansha on Yongxing, one of the islands that make up the disputed Paracel chain, Luo Baoming, Communist Party secretary of southern Hainan Province told state television last Saturday.
Luo added steps will also be taken to enforce China’s “legal rights†in the region, which includes other island chains which are the subject of competing claims by Asian countries.
Beijing enraged Vietnam and caused concern in Washington when it announced the establishment of a new city and military garrison at Sansha in July.
The island, under the control of Hainan Province, will have administrative control over a region that encompasses not only the Paracels, but Macclesfield Bank, a largely sunken atoll to the east, and the Spratly Islands to the south.
The sovereignty of each remains a matter of dispute.
“To safeguard our legal rights in the South China Sea, we are now coordinating between the relevant departments in order to set a more unified, and efficient law enforcing body,†Luo said.
Domestic media reported in August that work had begun on sewage disposal and waste collection facilities for the island’s roughly 1,000 residents.
Beijing claims most of the South China Sea, which is home to vital shipping lanes and substantial proven and estimated oil and gas deposits.
Taiwan and Asean members the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei and Malaysia all have rival claims on areas of the sea, while the United States is also watching China’s increased assertiveness closely.
The announcement in July that Sansha would be established led to a formal protest being lodged by Vietnam, which said it violates international law.
The Philippines, which is involved in a dispute over the Spratly Islands, summoned the Chinese ambassador to lodge a complaint against the garrison announcement.
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