MANILA, Philippines - With a few rounds of golf in Hong Kong with his Chinese friends, former president Fidel Ramos can do wonders in restoring the luster in Philippine-China relations, presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said yesterday.
“Former president Fidel V. Ramos leaves today for Hong Kong to meet with old friends and possibly (play) a few rounds of golf,” Abella said. “This may also pave the way for future diplomatic talks.”
The Duterte administration is trying to mend fences with China, which got piqued by Manila’s seeking international arbitration to contest Beijing’s nine-dash-line claim in the West Philippine Sea.
The tribunal’s ruling in favor of Manila further angered China, which threatened to assert its presence more in disputed waters in defiance of the ruling.
Even before his appointment as special envoy to China by President Duterte, Ramos – an avid golfer – has been a frequent visitor of China’s Hainan province, which boasts of world-class golf courses.
Abella added the Palace is optimistic Ramos’ visit to Hong Kong will lead to better ties between the Philippines and China.
Ramos’ trip came a week after the President convened a National Security Council (NSC) meeting at Malacañang to discuss the July 12 ruling of The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA).
Ramos, along with three former presidents of the country, was an ex-officio member of the NSC.
The others were Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Benigno Aquino III, who stepped down last June 30.
They attended the meeting with Cabinet members, key leaders of the 17th Congress and top police, military and security officials.
Earlier, Duterte said the legal victory of the Philippines in the maritime dispute may not have to be on the agenda in the possible bilateral talks with China.
He was taking a cue from Ramos, who had expressed his openness to engaging China in bilateral talks without using the arbitral ruling as kick-off point.
“Ramos said that ‘if it’s all right we take out the arbitral judgment from the talks’,” the President pointed out.
The July 12 decision of the PCA also upheld the Philippines’ sovereign rights over at least three land features in the West Philippine Sea, which are also being claimed by Beijing.
In a meeting with The STAR editors and reporters last week at Malacañang, Duterte said he gave his blessings to Ramos to “go fishing” with his Chinese friends, or set the stage for formal talks.
Meanwhile, Ramos, 88, stressed he was going to Hong Kong to play golf with his friends and not to negotiate with China.
“I am not authorized at this moment to negotiate.” Ramos said prior to his departure on Philippine Airlines flight PR 306, together with his wife Ming. – Rudy Santos