Filipinos living in China wish for better ties under Duterte

By Xie Wenting Source:Global Times Published: 2016/7/12 20:28:00

The Chinese and Philippine national flags Photo: IC


 
Editor's note:

The Court of Arbitration in The Hague issued on Tuesday an award over the dispute in the South China Sea between China and the Philippines in favor of the latter's claims. During the two-year arbitration process, which has been rejected by China, tension has been high between the countries, as well as their people to some extent.

Regardless, many Filipinos are now seeking their fortunes in China, and the Philippines has a long-standing ethnic Chinese minority.

Ahead of the ruling, the Philippine Embassy in Beijing warned Filipinos against discussing politics in public, including online.

A Filipino living in Beijing turned down an interview request after the warning and said he would take two days off work starting from July 12 to lay low.

Other Filipinos living in China expressed their hopes for peace and their expectations for the bilateral relationship to Global Times reporter Xie Wenting.

 



Ameliza Pepito has been living in China for 11 years. Pepito said that whatever the decision the tribunal in The Hague makes, both sides should accept it.

After living in China for such a long time, Pepito views China as her second home. She told the Global Times that she has many Chinese friends and colleagues but they aren't talking about the South China Sea dispute. "The tension doesn't affect me," she said, adding that in the past decade, her life has not been made difficult because of the two countries' sometimes-strained relationship.

But still, she admitted that she does feel a bit worried because she does not know what will happen after the ruling is released.

"I do hope the Philippine and Chinese governments will accept whatever the outcome is. I hope there is unity, peace and acceptance," she said.

"After all, it's a political conflict. People should not be caught in the middle," she stressed.   

 


 Machelle Ramos started working in China back in 2011. She told the Global Times that so far the recent tension between the Philippines and China has not had any influence on her life. She added that she is not worried about what will happen to her after the Permanent Court of Arbitration's award is released.

"The two countries, as President Xi Jinping expressed in his congratulatory message to President Duterte, are unmovable neighbors. Historically, our ties go back centuries," she said. "I'm praying that talks happen soon and both parties will continue to engage in discussions so that the conflict will be settled in a peaceful manner."

Ramos said that the country is changing fast and it's fascinating to witness how it is evolving and how it is performing in its role as the driving force of the "Asian Century."

She said that she has "faith" in Duterte and his leadership and vision to improve the bilateral relationship.

Talking about her ideal relationship for the countries, she said, "I hope that they will become neighbors who look out for each other. Leaders from both governments have expressed willingness to improve ties and may this result in beneficial partnerships in trade, tourism and people to people exchanges etc."

"I hope that Filipinos and Chinese will better understand each other and become more than neighbors, be more like family working together for a better and brighter future of mankind," she added. 



Jensen Moreno has been in China for three years. Since she has been here, she has never felt any tensions nor experienced discrimination.

"I have caring Chinese friends and close friends and we never talked about the disputed islands at all. They think that the Philippines is a beautiful country with kind-hearted people," she said.

Last November, she was invited by the Philippine Embassy in Beijing to witness the 40th anniversary celebration of China and the Philippines' diplomatic relations. There, she heard Ambassador Erlinda Basilio mention that she would like to actively implement the countries' Cultural Agreement through arts and culture.

"I also think that we must focus on this matter to strengthen friendly relations. The long history of friendship of the two countries will not end over a disputed island," she said.

Moreno thinks that whatever The Hague tribunal decides will just be a step forward not only for the Philippines and China but for the world.

"I believe that everyone making this decision has also fairly reconstituted the territorial scope," she said.

According to her, it is better to get clarity in the disputes as soon as possible and this can be done through dialogue.

"I encourage everyone to be intelligently courageous and not be impulsive. Careful thoughts can lead to careful actions. Instead of letting this issue affect and influence us, let us help influence everyone to stay calm yet mindful in all arising situations," she said. "Me and my family are all happy living in China and part of that is because we do not feel any discrimination…I do not feel worried that my life and my work will be influenced by the final ruling." 



Jun Pepito has been working and living in China for 28 years. Pepito said that he doesn't feel that people have started to treat him any differently despite the political tensions.

In his opinion, the Philippines and its new leader Rodrigo Duterte don't want a war with China.

"The pressure is from the United States and countries like Japan because they have big shipping companies, so they want the South China Sea, the West Philippine Sea to pass all the time," he said.

Pepito stressed that it's stupid for Manila to start a war. "How big China is. How small the Philippines is. If you fight, there must be damages. There must be consequences."

"We're neighbors. Why we have to fight? Why we have to kill each other? Just for the sea? We're not living in the sea," he said.

He supported Duterte in the election. In his opinion, Duterte is friendly and has a clear mind.

Even if the Philippines wins the case, Pepito said there are also diplomatic means open to both countries to cool tensions.

On July 7, Duterte met with China's ambassador to the Philippines, Zhao Jianhua, which Pepito said is a good sign. 

"From what I've read in newspapers, there must be a common goal for the two countries. War is not the answer," he said.

When the last president, Benigno Aquino III, was in office, the relationship between the two countries was not good and Pepito said the bad relationship influenced tourism between the Philippines and China.

According to Pepito, people who took to the streets in the Philippines to demand conflict with China are a "small crowd and jobless people. They don't represent the whole population."

Pepito said ordinary people have no need to worry. He believes that some compromises will be made and something can be done to achieve a good agreement.

"The US and Japan may be ready for war, but not the Philippines. We need to think about the children. We will destroy their future if there is a war," he said. 

 

An island in the South China Sea  Photo: CFP



Sino-Philippine trade & tourism:



In 2015, trade between China and the Philippines reached $45.65 billion, an increase of 2.7 percent from 2014.

China is the Philippines' second largest trade partner, the biggest source of its imports and the third largest buyer of its exports.

From January to May, 2016, the number of Chinese tourists heading to the Philippines increased by 81 percent to 285,000, making China the third biggest source of tourists to the country during that period after South Korea and the US.

Starting from July 2, the number of round-trip flights from Beijing to Manila provided by Philippine Airlines has increased from four times every week to eight times.

Source: Ministry of Commerce of China; Economic and Commercial Counsellor's Office of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Republic of Philippines; chinanews.com

 
Newspaper headline: Caught in the middle


Posted in: In-Depth

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