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Manila will be a neutral, honest Asean chair: Philippine diplomat

SINGAPORE — The Philippines will be a neutral and honest broker when it takes over the chairmanship of the Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean) next year, said a senior Philippine diplomat yesterday, assuaging concerns that Manila would prioritise the interests of certain major powers at the expense of others as President Rodrigo Duterte recalibrates his country’s foreign policy.

Mr Enrique Manalo, Undersecretary for Policy at the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs. Photo: Koh Mui Fong

Mr Enrique Manalo, Undersecretary for Policy at the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs. Photo: Koh Mui Fong

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SINGAPORE — The Philippines will be a neutral and honest broker when it takes over the chairmanship of the Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean) next year, said a senior Philippine diplomat yesterday, assuaging concerns that Manila would prioritise the interests of certain major powers at the expense of others as President Rodrigo Duterte recalibrates his country’s foreign policy.

Signs that Mr Duterte is shifting away from Washington’s orbit while strengthening ties with Beijing and Moscow have sparked concerns that Asean’s image as a neutral party could be affected, and that the grouping might be less effective in driving regional security and economic forums.

“We (the Philippines) will continue the traditional Asean policy of engaging partners and trying to play a central role in the affairs of the region,” said Mr Enrique Manalo, the Undersecretary for Policy at the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs.

Mr Manalo spoke to TODAY at the sidelines of a lecture organised by ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute where he delivered on Manila’s priorities for its 2017 chairmanship of Asean.

Since assuming office in late June, Mr Duterte has heaped praise on China and lashed out at the United States, often using vulgar language. All this, said the Philippine leader, whose deadly crackdown on drugs has been criticised by the West, was part of his move to chart a more independent foreign policy not tied to America — the Philippines’ most important ally for 70 years.

Asked if Mr Duterte’s recent foreign policy moves would affect Asean’s neutrality, Mr Manalo said: “What the President really meant is that he is increasing the relationships with our other partners, but not to the detriment of our traditional friends.”

Asean unity is already under scrutiny. In July, a joint statement issued by the grouping’s foreign ministers made no specific mention of a ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague that ruled in favour of the Philippines and invalidated China’s expansive claims in the South China Sea.

There are competing claims between China and four Asean nations — the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam — as well as Taiwan, to the disputed waterway. Beijing has refused to recognise The Hague’s ruling.

Cambodia, which has close ties with China, has been singled out as an Asean member that blocked consensus at the foreign ministers’ meeting in Laos, leading to the omission of The Hague ruling.

Commenting on the South China Sea issue, Mr Manalo, who will chair the proceedings for political discussions among Asean officials next year before the issues are forwarded to the ministers for deliberation, said he did not foresee any difficulties in coordinating positions.

“Peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with the rule of law, commitment to legal and diplomatic processes, these are all agreed to by Asean at the highest level,” he said. “It would not be a problem to get Asean together on the basis of those key elements.”

The Chinese government has said it would formulate a legally binding framework on the code of conduct in the South China Sea by the first half of next year.

Mr Manalo said yesterday that “it would be good” if all parties could finalise the framework next year, adding: “I imagine it (the framework) would be general elements or general principles put together. Certainly we are hopeful we can do it during our chairmanship.”

Among the other priorities for the Philippines’ chairmanship of Asean next year is to refresh the group’s charter so that it can keep pace with the times.

“The issue is to see where the 2008 charter can be brought up to date. Even in the charter, it calls for a (periodic) review,” said Mr Manalo, referring to the document that codifies Asean’s norms, rules and values, which came into force in 2008.

“The exercise next year is not aimed to amend or revise the charter, but (to) look at which provisions are relevant and which need to be amended … There will not be any major revision of the charter during our chairmanship,” he added.

Asean diplomats in Jakarta, where the grouping’s secretariat is located, are now looking at which areas in the charter could be flagged for further discussion, according to Mr Manalo.

Other key priorities under the Philippines’ chairmanship of Asean next year, he added, include how to “bring Asean closer to the people”; strengthening the capacity of small and medium enterprises; protecting vulnerable sectors of society, including overseeing the welfare of migrant workers; and environmental sustainability.

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