The South China Sea disputes may not be on the main agenda of the upcoming summit of 21 leaders of the Asia-Pacific member economies but the Philippines, or any one of the claimant countries, could raise the issue during the numerous bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit.
The agenda of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec), a forum bringing together 21 Pacific Rim economies to promote free trade in the region, is purely economic and not political, explained Assistant Secretary Charles Jose, the spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs.
“There will be no discussion on the South China Sea issue in the forum itself. But of course on the sidelines of the Apec meeting and during the bilateral meetings, the two countries can discuss the issue,” he said.
President Aquino has at least 10 bilateral meetings scheduled with other Apec leaders on the sidelines of the Nov. 18 to 19 summit.
In one of these meetings, Mr. Aquino and Vietnam President Truong Tan Sang are expected to sign a strategic partnership agreement to bolster their countries’ cooperation in political, economic, security, defense, agriculture and maritime areas.
The agreement will make Vietnam, a claimant like the Philippines to the South China Sea disputed areas, the country’s third strategic ally, after the United States and Japan.
During the two-day summit, 21 leaders, including US President Barack Obama, China’s Xi Jinping and Russia’s Vladimir Putin are expected to be in the same room at the Philippine International Convention Center.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said at least 10 leaders, including Obama, Putin and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, have confirmed their attendance.
China’s Xi Jinping has yet to confirm if he is coming to the Philippines for the summit.
Jose said the Philippines would get the confirmation at least a week ahead of the Apec leaders’ meeting.
The Philippines and China have been locked in a maritime dispute in the South China Sea region as China’s sweeping claims over much of the waters threaten to take over 80 percent of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.
Invoking the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Philippines has challenged China’s nine-dash line claim through an arbitration case it has initiated before a UN international arbitration tribunal.