Amid plans to determine extra Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) websites within the nation, Former Foreign Affairs Secretary and now Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Friday stated the Philippines couldn’t disregard the rivalry between the United States and China.
“[Our country is at a ] crossroads, and the difficulty of navigating in being a cross road is the intensifying rivalry of US and China. While it cannot be the reason for our decision, we cannot also ignore that their rivalry affects us,” Cayetano stated in an interview with reporters.
While he stated that the coaching, anti-terroristm, non-traditional safety preparations with the US needs to be welcomed, Cayetano stated that the EDCA websites within the northern a part of the Philippines, which have been close to the Taiwan Strait, was a extra delicate situation.
“The reality is yung isyu ng Taiwan and their seeking independence. So I think mas sensitive ang issue in terms of EDCA arrangements in the north,” he stated.
(The actuality is there may be Taiwan and their quest for independence. So I believe that makes the EDCA preparations within the north extra delicate.)
For Cayetano, the Philippines should have a look at its safety in a dynamic manner.
“Kasi parang ang binebenta parati sa Pinoy, closer to US and more facilities, more safer, pero may punto din si [former President Rodrigo] Duterte–kung mas marami kang weapons pero target ka, delikado ka rin,” he stated.
(Filipinos are instructed that this brings us nearer to the US and supplies amenities, it improves our safety. But former President Duterte had some extent – having extra weapons makes you a goal, that also places you in a harmful scenario.)
“Just like during the Cold War, ang iniiwasan natin magkamali. Wag tayo magkaroon ng irreparable na mistake that will cause a war…We are at a crossroad so we have to re-establish that relationship with the US, Australia, Japan, and Korea who have been faithful allies but we also have to learn to live with our biggest neighbor China,” he added.
(Just like through the Cold War, we’re making an attempt to keep away from errors. Let’s not commit an irreparable mistake that can trigger a struggle…)
Cayetano talked about the case of Singapore, which he stated has been “effective in being neutral.”
According to Cayetano, 80 p.c of investments in Singapore are from the US, however they’re additionally near China.
On Thursday, US Indo-Pacific command chief Admiral John Aquilino stated he and the Philippines’ navy chief, General Romeo Brawner Jr., had mentioned an extra enlargement within the variety of bases US forces might entry beneath the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).
Aquilino added that they have been discussing the potential of having extra EDCA websites, however it was nonetheless topic to the approval of their “bosses.”
This 12 months, the Philippines elevated the variety of bases accessible to the US navy from 5 to 9, a transfer that has riled regional energy China, which sees the association as provocative and prone to elevate tensions. — DVM, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
