While President Duterte’s foreign- policy statements favoring Beijing over Washington gained the backing of two former chief executives, top businessmen in the country came short of telling Malacañang to be more circumspect in announcing any recalibration in diplomatic alignments, particularly if it would affect relations with longtime ally the United States.
The Makati Business Club (MBC) said it is supportive of Manila’s efforts to boost the country’s relations with China, but it also advised the government to maintain the solid economic ties between the Philippines and the US.
“We believe that, as we strengthen ties with one of our neighbors, this should be in tandem with continuing efforts to nurture our partnership with existing strategic allies and friends,” the MBC said in a statement. “In particular, our relationship with the US, particularly on the economic front, should remain solid and should also be further expanded.”
The influential business group, thus, called for a closer dialogue between various sectors and the government so that government could clarify the independent foreign policy it espouses.
In the same way that the President’s economic cluster convened various business groups in the “Sulong Pilipinas” Forum in Davao earlier, MBC urged the government to listen to the other sectors of
Philippine society.
“As we transition through this recalibration in our foreign policy, we call on the government to initiate another multisector dialogue similar to when it drafted the 10-point socioeconomic agenda,” MBC said.
“We hope that the government will also invite the views of eminent leaders, foreign-policy experts, policy-makers, business, academe and the youth,” it added.
Relations between Manila and Beijing improved further after President Duterte’s state visit to China last week. In his speech before Chinese businessmen and officials, the President announced his intent to “separate” from the US, the country’s long-standing ally.
Upon his arrival in the Philippines, Duterte clarified that he does not want Manila to cut diplomatic ties with Washington. His economic team also said the Philippines merely wanted to reduce its reliance on the US.
The China trip yielded a total of $24 billion worth of deals, with $15 billion committed to various projects. The remaining $9 billion will be extended to the Philippines as loan.
The President left for another state visit to Japan on Tuesday. Manila expects the visit to yield a minimum of $2 billion in private deals. The government also wants to reexamine the country’s bilateral free-trade agreement with Japan.
‘Presidential prerogative’
Unlike former President Fidel V. Ramos, two former presidents have thrown their support behind Duterte’s efforts to pursue an independent foreign policy.
Former President and now Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of the Second District of Pampanga and former President and now Manila Mayor Joseph E. Estrada said they see nothing wrong with Duterte’s “separation of foreign policy” from the US.
Arroyo and Estrada also expressed support for the government’s efforts to forge closer ties with China. “That [forging of foreign policy] is the President’s prerogative,” Arroyo said when sought for her reaction on
Duterte’s pronouncements.
Estrada also echoed Arroyo’s statements and admitted that during his term, the US was “intervening” when he declared an “all-out war” against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in 2010.
“[The US] said I should stop, but I didn’t,” Estrada said.
Alison Evans, senior analyst at IHS Markit, said in a statement that, in general, Japan does not highlight or push human rights on the international stage, so Duterte’s election is unlikely to change this for the Philippines.
“Japanese Prime Minister Abe and Philippines President Duterte just met in Laos in September, but this week’s extra one-on-one meeting following larger sessions arranged in Tokyo indicates that Abe is putting time and effort into maintaining and improving ties with the Philippines, bolstered under former President Aquino,” Evans said.
“Duterte welcomed investment from Japan into Davao when he served as its mayor, so we’re likely to see a similar pattern now for Manila. According to sources, Abe may promise up to ¥5 billion for infrastructure projects, including a much-needed upgrade for the capital’s public-transit system.”
Evans added: “Japan is also likely to maintain good ties with the Philippines, regardless of Duterte’s comments on trying to get closer to China, because of promised security cooperation: Japan has sold old coast-guard vessels and is scheduled to lend surveillance aircraft to the Philippines.”
“It is not clear that military leaders in the Philippines support Duterte’s promise to move away from the US and toward China, especially for military procurement, which would cause
compatibility issues.”