MikeLigalig.com

By Tessa Jamandre,VERA Files | The Inbox – 10 hours ago

   
President Aquino is going on a one-day trip to China on Sept. 3 in what is seen as an effort to end strained relations with China triggered by the standoff in Bajo de Masinloc in April last year.

The President has accepted China’s invitation to attend the 10th ASEAN-China Expo (CAEXPO) to be held in Nanning, capital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, from Sept. 3 to 6, Malacañang and Department of Foreign Affairs sources said.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang will receive Aquino and the special envoys of the other nine ASEAN countries. Aquino will also attend a forum with Chinese businessmen.

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A bilateral meeting with President Xi was sought in the sidelines of APEC last year in Vladivostok, but it never took place. Since Xi became China’s president in March, he has met with all Asian leaders except Aquino.

Once robust relations between the Philippines and China took a dip with the arrest by a Philippine Navy warship of Chinese fishermen in eight fishing boats in Bajo de Masinloc known internationally as Scarborough Shoal which is also being claimed by China.

The arrest triggered a 57-day standoff which was broken after back-channeling by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and behind-the-scene efforts of the United States.

At the height of the standoff, there were some 80 ships in the shoal 130 nautical miles from Zambales. Three Chinese ships control the area which has become inaccessible to Filipino fisherman.

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