DND chief welcomes Chinese industrial park in Clark

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of National Defense (DND) is not worried about China putting up an industrial complex in the former US military facility at Clark Air Base in Pampanga.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana pointed out yesterday that China would be establishing an industrial complex at Clark where they can set up manufacturing facilities.

“What security threat? It’s purely for business purposes. Why? Do you think China’s military will go there? No. They’re all Chinese businessmen who will invest in the country,” Lorenzana said in an interview at the sidelines of the 77th Ad Interim Supreme Council meeting of Veterans Federation of the Philippines at a hotel in Quezon City Hotel.

The industrial complex, to be constructed on a 500-hectare lot, was among the 29 bilateral agreements signed by the Philippines and China during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent state visit.

Both governments agreed to speed up the implementation of the Philippine-Chinese Industrial Park Development Program and provide an enabling environment for enterprises to invest in each other’s country, Malacañang said in a statement.

“It’s good because they will put an industrial park there. They will put up manufacturing facilities that will generate lot of jobs. Anyway, China cannot bring the land to Beijing,” Lorenzana said.

Several defense and security experts warned that once China has established its industrial complex at Clark, all activities related to the military are likely to be jeopardized.

Clark Field and Subic Bay in Olongapo City are classified as the country’s key security zones over Northern, Central Luzon and Metro Manila.

“There was an attempt before by a group of Chinese businessmen to convert the Subic Bay airport into an industrial park but this was blocked by our top defense and security people, knowing fully well that the purpose of the said venture was to derail the military’s response time at the West Philippine Sea,” a certain defense expert said. – With Paolo Romero