China hopes for new Phl ambassador to Beijing

MANILA, Philippines - China is hopeful that the Philippines will have an ambassador to Beijing soon to facilitate communication between the two countries.

Chinese Ambassador Ma Keqing said on Thursday it is inconvenient to convey a message to the Philippines as it has not been represented by an ambassador since last year.

China is aware that the Commission on Appointments (CA) again deferred the confirmation of the nomination of businessman Domingo Lee as the country’s ambassador because of his failure to answer questions of senators.

The CA has deferred Lee’s confirmation four times.

“We sincerely hope there is an ambassador to Beijing,” Ma told reporters in her first press conference at the Chinese embassy.

On Wednesday, the President’s choice failed to cite an article in United Nations Convention on the Laws of the Sea that China opposes and the last meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) where the Philippines moved to get the regional bloc’s consensus on the Spratlys issue.

The Department of Foreign Affairs withdrew in February 2011 the nomination of former Ambassador Francisco Benedicto to China after he informed the home office that he would not pursue his ambassadorial appointment due to medical concerns.

Benedicto, one of the political ambassadors reappointed by President Aquino, also faced rough sailing in the CA. The confirmation of Benedicto was deferred at the request of Sen. Franklin Drilon.

He paid a farewell call on Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and Vice Foreign Minister and former Chinese Ambassador to Manila Song Tao at the Foreign Ministry on Feb. 1, 2011.