10/10/2016

Icebreakingduringglobalwarming|mb.com.ph|PhilippineNews

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HomeNewsOpinionsandEditorialsIcebreakingduringglobalwarming

Icebreakingduringglobalwarming
byFormerPhilippinePresidentFidelV.Ramos
August20,2016

Recently, in his good luck year (meaning age 88), FVR was unexpectedly designated by
President Rodrigo Du30 as special envoy with the mission to break the ice between China
and the Philippines whose traditionally friendly relations had turned chilly, if not cold, with
the 12 July 2016 ruling (award) by the UN Permanent Court of Arbitration about South China
Sea/WestPhilippineSeaissues.
Capably assisting FVR in this delicate assignment were former DILG Secretary Raffy Alunan,
eminent expert on Asian affairs Chito Sta. Romana, millennial thinktanker Yale grad Sam
RamosJones,andMaamMingFVRsbestfriend,spouse,andcaregiver.
HopingforgoodfortuneintheOrientalmanner,wechosethedate8August2016(8828)to
push out first to Hong Kong (China Special Administrative Region). On that FVRs also
MaamMingsgoodluckday(8888),theteamsfirstjobwastotrytodialogueperhapswith
fourdependableassetswithlinkstoChinastopleadersinBeijing.
WewerefortunatetomakeinitialcontactwithagoodfriendofthePhilippinesformerChina
Ambassador Madame Fu Ying, now chairperson of the Foreign Relations Committee of the
NationalPeoplesCongressthruthegoodofficesofaprominentHKbasedbusinessmanand
golfingpartnerWaiSunNg(akaWilliamGo),whoisalsowellknownamongManilabankers.
TheFinalPressStatement
Attheoutset,inordertosatisfythecuriosityoftheconcernedPhilippineandChinaaudiences,
allowustoreprintourjointfinalpressstatementwhichwassimultaneouslyreleasedthrumulti
mediafromBeijing,HongKong,andManilaat10:00AM,11August2016:
1011August2016,FormerPresidentandSpecialEnvoyFidelV.RamosmetinHongKongwith
his old friends Madame Fu Ying (Chairman, Foreign Affairs Committee of the National
Peoples Congress and former Ambassador to Manila 19982000) and Professor Wu Shicun
(President,ChinasNationalInstituteforSouthChinaSeaStudies)inafriendlyatmosphere.
Theydiscussed,intheirprivatecapacity,thewayforwardinthespiritofuniversalbrotherhood
andsisterhoodforpeaceandcooperationbetweenthetwocountries.
Their informal discussions focused on the need to engage in further talks to build trust and
confidencetoreducetensionstopavethewayforoverallcooperationforthebenefitofboththeir
peoples and the region. They explored possible human and ecological security options and
suggestionsforthebenefitoftheirpeoples,suchas:
a.)encouragingmarinepreservation
b.)avoidingtensionandpromotingfishingcooperation
c.)antidrugandantismugglingcooperation
d.)anticrimeandanticorruptioncooperation
e.)improvingtourismopportunities
f.)encouragingtradeandinvestmentfacilitationand,
g.)encouragingTrackII(thinktank)exchangesonrelevantissues.
Theyexpressedthehopetofindcommongroundformutualbenefit,especiallyforthepoverty
strickensectorsoftheirsocieties.Theystressedthatbuildingtrustisveryimportanttothelong
termbeneficialrelationshipbetweenthePhilippinesandChina.
Theyvaluethelonghistoryoffriendshipofthetwoneighboringcountriesandtheprospectof
furthercooperationforthesakeoffuturegenerations.

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ChinahaswelcomedformerPresidentRamostocometoBeijingasspecialenvoyofPhilippine
President Rodrigo R. Duterte. Former President Ramos, as an icebreaker, expressed the
PhilippinegovernmentsdesiretoholdformaldiscussionswiththeChinesegovernmentonissues
of mutual concern and interest at the appropriate time to explore pathways to peace and
cooperation.
TheyreiteratedthattheywereinHongKongintheirpersonalcapacityandwerepleasedwith
the discussions and looked forward to the beginning of a process of formal discussions which
willbecontinuedinBeijingandManilaandotherpossiblevenues.
THE ABOVE IS CONFIRMED BY THE FOLLOWING IN THEIR PRIVATE CAPACITIES
(DULY SIGNED OPPOSITE THEIR RESPECTIVE NAMES): FORMER PRESIDENT FVR,
MADAME FU YING, MR. WU SHICUN, FORMER SECRETARY RAFAEL ALUNAN III, MR.
JOSESANTIAGOCHITOSTA.ROMANA,ANDMR.SAMUELA.RAMOSJONES.
AtmosphereOfFriendshipAndMutualConcern
The exploratory talks were made possible through the good offices of Mr. Wai Sun Ng (a.k.a.
WilliamGo),chairmanoftheJibsenGroupinHongKongandindependentdirectoroftheSan
Miguel CorporationHong Kong. Through him, we were able to contact Madame Fu Ying,
incumbent chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Peoples Congress,
former vice foreign minister, and former China ambassador to the Philippines who is well
knowntoChairmanBillGo.
Although it entailed much inconvenience and some family sacrifice on her part (since she, her
husband, and their one daughter were on vacation in a desert in Mongolia), she consented to
talk to our team in Hong Kong and she also convinced Dr. Wu Shicun a member of the
Foreign Policy Advisory Group, Ministry of Foreign Affairs to join our talks. It should be
rememberedthatthemonthofAugustisvacationtimeinChina(aswellasintheUS)anditwas
notpossibletogetintouchwithotherpossibleChineseassetsonshortnotice.

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Dr.WuShicunispresidentofChinasNationalInstituteforSouthChinaSeaStudies(NISCSS)
that specializes in research on issues of the South China Sea (SCS) and is active in related
academic exchanges. In order to promote SCS studies and improve academic network, the
NISCSSBeijingOfficewasestablishedinJanuary,2013.
After nearly 20 years of exploration and development, the NISCSS has formed a systematic
scope of research, including the strategy of the SCS the geopolitics of the SCS, including
neighboring countries policies on the SCS international law and the SCS disputes peaceful
settlement of the Spratly Islands dispute resources development and environmental protection
in the SCS the strategies, institutions, and mechanisms for developing the maritime economy
andthebuildingoftheMaritimeSilkRoadofthe21stcentury.
Bill Go also provided the conference venue on Victoria Peak, all the inland transportation,
delicious Chinese meals, and the services of his household staff which consists of exactly 50%
Chineseand50%Filipinos.
Our ConsulGeneral Bernardita Catalla in Hong Kong, likewise, was most supportive and
helpful.
In Manila, our primary asset for backchanneling is Joseph Lim, incumbent chairman of the
ChinaPhilippinesChamberofCommercewhoisclosetoAmbassadorZhaoJianhuaofthePRC
EmbassyinManila.WerequestedChairmanLimtocontactsomeotherfriendsinChinaandto
preparehiscorporatepremisesinShenzhenCity,GuangdongProvince,asthepossiblevenuefor
futurefriendlytalks.
LongrangeStrategicFramework
Our Philippine Team found very useful the UN General Assembly Resolution of 25 September
2015 approved and adhered to by 195 membernations China, the Philippines, and the US
included as the longrange strategic framework plan for the avoidance of global armed
conflictthatmightleadtoWorldWarIII.
FVRslatestbooktitled,UN2030OneWorld,OneCommunity,OneFamily,whichdescribed
the UNs 17 Sustainable Development Goals to be attained by year 2030, proved to be a handy
referencebookforall.
Perhaps the most important talking point of our team (accepted and also reiterated by the
Chinese team) was: THE SEAS SHOULD BE USED TO SAVE LIVES AND INSURE MANS
SURVIVABILITY,ANDNOTTOKILLPEOPLEORDESTROYINSTITUTIONS.
Thus, in expectation of broader and more indepth talks in the near future between the
PhilippinesandChina,FVRsrecommendationstoPresidentDuterteare,amongothers,to:
1. Expedite the appointment/confirmation of a Philippine ambassador to the PRC (preferably
JoseSantiagoChitoSta.Romana).
2.ContinueexploratorytalksinBeijing,Manila,DavaoCity,and/orothervenues.
3. Build on the initial gains, particularly on fishing, tropical fruits, tourism, and infrastructure
supportforChinasmaritimeSilkRoadprogramsforthePhilippines.
FUTUREPROSPECTS
THE BOTTOMLINE FOR ALL SIDES IS TO AVOID SHOOTING CONFLICTS AND OTHER
VIOLENT CONFRONTATIONS IN THE SCS/WPS WHICH COULD LEAD TO WORLD WAR

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III. CONSIDERING THE DEVASTATING, DEADLY AND CATASTROPHIC EFFECTS OF

TODAYS WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION, GLOBAL WARFARE COULD OBLITERATE
PLANET EARTH AND ALL OF ITS 7.5 BILLION INHABITANTS EXCEPT THOSE WITH
NEW PACEMAKERS LIKE FVR, WHOSE HEARTBEAT FACILITATOR IS GUARANTEED
FOR25YEARS.
WARDEFINITELYISNOTANOPTION!!!NEITHERISGLOBALWARMING!!!
Pleasesendanycommentstofvr@rpdev.org.Copiesofarticlesareavailableatwww.rpdev.org.

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