China high on agenda in Aquino’s Euro tour

MADRID–In what will be his second trip to Europe since assuming office in 2010, President Aquino will embark on a grueling four-nation visit to Spain, Belgium, France, and Germany with the Philippines’ territorial dispute with China high on the agenda.

The President, who is set to leave Manila at 9:50 p.m. Saturday, will attempt to rally more support behind his government’s proposed “triple action plan” to resolve the dispute through international arbitration.

Claimant countries should cease activities that could raise tensions in the region and a binding Code of Conduct should be put in place, according to the Philippine strategy which already received support from Washington.

The President will sit down with King Felipe VI of Spain and Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy here on Monday. In Brussels, the next leg of his trip, Mr. Aquino will  have an audience with King Philippe of Belgium and separate meetings with European Commission President Jóse Manuel Barroso and European Council President Herman van Rompuy.

In France, Mr. Aquino will have bilateral meetings with President François Hollande and Prime Minister Manuel Valls.

Mr. Aquino will wrap up his weeklong European swing on Sept. 19 and 20 in Germany where he will meet with Chancellor Angela Merkel and Federal President Joachim Gauck.

Assistant Foreign Secretary Maria Zeneida Angara-Collinson said it was important for Mr. Aquino to “apprise these world leaders directly on what is going on” in the West Philippine Sea.

Just last month, the President criticized the presence of two Chinese hydrographic research vessels near the Philippines’ oil-rich Recto Bank, which is located just 144 kilometers from Palawan.

About time

Of Mr. Aquino’s 33 foreign trips since 2010, he had gone to Europe only once when he went on an official visit to the United Kingdom in 2012.

Collinson said “it’s about time” that Mr. Aquino visited Spain, Belgium, France, and Germany in a trip that was also expected to “stimulate trade and investment” with the Philippines.

“These are major countries that he’s visiting in Europe,” she said.

“Europe is our partner, not only in trade and investments…but most importantly, it is our partner in the political field when it comes to values, promotion of democracy, rule of law, support for the Philippine position in the West Philippine Sea. Europe is right there with us.”

For the visit, the President brings with him the prospect of lasting peace and stability in Mindanao following the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front last March.

Last Wednesday, he personally turned over to Congress a copy of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), four months after he was originally set to endorse it.

Mr. Aquino said he would “proudly share” the drafting of the BBL and “the rest of our achievements in the area of peace” with his fellow leaders in Europe.

“I will tell them that while our success is not complete yet, we are all confident that our collective efforts toward a more progressive and more peaceful Philippines will continue,” he said in a speech during the turnover ceremony in Malacañang.

“We have been given a rare chance to prove, not only to ourselves, but to the entire world, that we can achieve what was once thought to be impossible.”

Zero tariff

The President will also seek the European leaders’ support for the Philippines’ application in the Generalized System of Preferences Plus (GSP+), a system of preferential trading agreements.

Once the Philippines is admitted, Collinson said it could avail of zero tariff for more than 6,000 export products.

Ambassador Victoria Bataclan, head of the Philippine mission to the EU, said Philippine exports would increase to close to US$700 million in the next three years if the application is approved.

She cited the case of the country’s tuna exports which are imposed a 21-percent tariff.

“Under GSP+ it will be zero.  So you can imagine the great benefit of course to the exporters. Those are the kinds of GSP plus benefits that we will have,” she said.

Mr. Aquino’s visit to Europe is also intended to “reassure our partners that the Philippines is undertaking remedial measures to combat” illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUUF), said Collinson.

The EU regulation against IUUF took effect in 2010 and the European Commission has since been “working actively with all stakeholders to ensure coherent application” of the rule, according to its website.

Collinson said the Philippines had not been sanctioned so far, but was in the “middle stage where Europe would like to be assured that [it] is combating IUUF.”

Mr. Aquino will also make the assurance that the Philippines was working to fully comply with the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for mariners. It’s a major concern for a country like the Philippines which has some 80,000 seafarers deployed in EU countries.

“We have very good compliance, substantive compliance,” Bataclan said.

Wreath-laying

In Madrid where he is set to arrive at 7:30 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 14, the President will meet with former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar in the afternoon.

Mr. Aquino will also lay a wreath at the monument of Jose Rizal, a replica of the one in Manila. This one in Madrid was built in 1996 and stands at the junction of Avenida de las Islas Filipinas and Calle Santander.

The President will spend most of the day meeting with Spanish investors. He also allotted an hour with members of the Filipino community here at the Colegio Nuestra Señora de las Maravillas.

The following day, he will sit down with Prime Minister Rajoy at the Palacio de la Moncloa then have an audience with King Felipe VI at the Palacio de la Zarzuela.

Mr. Aquino will fly before noon to Brussels where a more backbreaking schedule awaits him and his delegation.

Among the Cabinet members joining the European trip are Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo, Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, and Presidential Management Staff Chief Julia Abad.