Brady expected to achieve breakthroughs in negotiations with China

Manila, Philippines -  Newly confirmed Philippine Ambassador to China Sonia Brady is expected to achieve breakthroughs in the negotiations between Manila and Beijing over the Panatag (Scarborough Shoal) dispute, President Aquino said yesterday.

“The marching orders to Ambassador Brady – she’s been there, she knows who to talk to, she knows the system, and she knows our concerns. So it will enhance the dialogue that previously had to be done through the charge d’affaires,” he said.

Aquino decided not to reappoint businessman Domingo Lee to the position after Lee repeatedly failed to get the Commission on Appointments’ (CA) confirmation. 

Lee also withdrew his nomination and was instead appointed as special envoy to China, along with Cesar Zalamea, to get more tourists and investments from China, respectively.

There have been cancellations of tour packages to the Philippines and stricter rules have been imposed on banana and other fruit exports to China.

Brady breezed through the CA, getting confirmed less than a week after Malacañang announced her nomination.

Brady, a retired career foreign service officer, had no problems hurdling her confirmation hearing because of her extensive experience as a former ambassador to China and undersecretary for policy of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

The urgency of sending an official representative of the country to China was well understood by CA members, who decided to allow and consider Brady’s nomination in spite of the fact that the documentary and publication requirements for her nomination had not yet been complied with.

Sen. Sergio Osmeña III said the waiving of the requirements for Brady was allowed because there is a critical matter that the country should attend to in China.

Brady told the CA that her mission to China was clear and that her experience in dealing with the Chinese officials would help ease tensions between the two nations.

There have been previous issues involving the West Philippine Sea that were resolved, Brady said, but that the Panatag Shoal incident was quite different now and that she would do her best to convey the country’s desire for a diplomatic solution.