[Epoch Times November 24, 2021]With internal and external difficulties, the CCP has recently encountered embarrassment on another diplomatic occasion. On November 22, the 30th Anniversary Summit of the China-ASEAN Dialogue Relations was held. Xi Jinping attended, presided over the meeting and delivered a speech via video. In his speech, Xi officially announced the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership between China and ASEAN, and emphasized that “adhere to dialogue, not confrontation, and partnership and non-alignment.” He also said that Beijing will not seek hegemony, oppose power politics, will not bully neighboring countries, and will work together to maintain stability in the South China Sea. In addition, the CCP also promised to import 150 billion U.S. dollars of ASEAN agricultural products in the next five years, and at the same time once again provide 150 million new coronavirus (CCV) vaccines.
Undoubtedly, the CCP still intends to maintain its influence in ASEAN countries by making a wish and “painting a big pie”. Currently, ASEAN is composed of 10 countries including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Laos. Do these ASEAN countries fully believe Beijing’s rhetoric?
At least for the vaccine provided by the CCP, ASEAN countries may not be interested in a few. According to a report by Reuters in July, according to data from the independent data group Lapor COVID-19, since June, 131 health care workers in Indonesia have died from the epidemic. Died in July. In addition, Singapore, Thailand and other countries have also questioned the Chinese Communist Party’s vaccine, believing that it lacks effectiveness. Duterte once asked the Chinese Embassy to take back 1,000 donated Sinopharm vaccines, and said that he had already given the vaccine, and appealed to others not to learn from him because it was “very dangerous.”
The two events that happened before and during the summit show the subtle attitudes of ASEAN countries. One is that after ASEAN opposed the Myanmar military regime’s participation in the summit last month, this time, despite the Chinese Communist Party’s lobbying, ASEAN once again opposed Myanmar’s participation in an attempt to put pressure on the military regime. The Burmese military launched a coup on February 1 to overthrow the democratically elected civilian government and arrested leaders such as Aung San Suu Kyi, causing a bloody unrest.
According to Reuters, Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore hope to ban Myanmar’s military leader Min Aung Lai from attending the China-ASEAN meeting hosted by Xi Jinping. Earlier, the CCP sent Sun Guoxiang, the Special Envoy for Asian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to visit Singapore, Brunei and Myanmar. In Myanmar, he met with important officials such as Min Aung Lai and said that the CCP had to accept the position of ASEAN.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Communist Party of China did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Reuters report. It later stated with a high-sounding statement that “Beijing will work with the international community to restore the country’s social stability as soon as possible, and to promote cooperation in various fields between the two sides will work with Myanmar to restart the country. The process of democratic transformation plays a constructive role”, “continue to promote greater development of China-ASEAN relations”, it goes without saying. Obviously, the CCP’s statement proves that the Reuters report is accurate, that is, several ASEAN countries have not given face to the CCP’s special envoy on the Myanmar issue, and the CCP, which supports the Myanmar military, can only accept it under the current situation.
Another thing is that Philippine President Duterte rarely condemned Beijing’s provocative actions in the South China Sea at the summit. He said: “We hate the recent incident in Ayongjin Shoal (called Renai Reef in China and Second Thomas Shoal in the West) and express our serious concern about other similar developments. This has nothing to do with the relationship between our two countries. Any benefit.” In his speech, Duterte used the name of the disputed island from the Philippines, implying that the island belongs to the Philippines.
The Ayungin Shoal incident mentioned by Duterte refers to the fact that on November 16, the Chinese coast guard boat blocked two Philippine supply ships from going to the island. The Chinese side used water cannons in the operation, and the Philippine ships were eventually forced to turn back. At that time, apart from the Philippines’ condemnation and accusation that the CCP had no law enforcement power in these areas and surrounding areas, the United States also issued a statement warning that the CCP’s actions were “dangerous, provocative and unreasonable.”
Regarding the CCP’s arrogant behavior, Duterte believes that the rule of law is the only way to solve the problem. He hoped that the CCP would respect the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which regulates maritime rights and sovereignty in maritime areas, and the 2016 Hague Arbitration Tribunal’s ruling. In 2016, the Hague Arbitration Tribunal declared that China’s claims for sovereignty over the South China Sea were basically invalid. However, the Chinese Communist Party has always refused to recognize the ruling.
Duterte’s choking voice clearly embarrassed and embarrassed Beijing’s leaders who had just finished saying that “Beijing does not seek hegemony, oppose power politics, will not bully neighboring countries, and jointly maintain stability in the South China Sea”.
Unlike Duterte who directly choked the CCP, Malaysian Prime Minister Sabiri was relatively tactful when talking about the sovereignty of the South China Sea, but he actually held the same position as the Philippines. He said: “As a claimant country, we firmly believe that it is necessary to peacefully and constructively resolve issues related to the South China Sea in accordance with recognized international principles, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.” He hopes that “relevant countries should exercise restraint. Do not take provocative actions to avoid further intensifying and complicating the situation.” This “relevant countries” naturally includes the CCP.
Duterte’s outspokenness to the CCP is based on domestic pressure on the one hand, because he has been criticized in the country for failing to condemn the CCP’s actions in disputed waters in the past. On the one hand, it has to do with its shift to pro-American. On July 30, the Philippines fully restored the “Visiting Forces Agreement” between the United States and the Philippines. The U.S. military also approved the sale of 12 F-16V fighter jets and supporting engines and supporting engines to the Philippines in June. Weaponry. In this regard, Beijing is very worried.
At the end of August, Xi Jinping had a telephone conversation with Duterte. This should be related to the South China Sea issue and the strengthening of the US military’s deployment in the Indo-Pacific. Xi referred to the improvement of China-Philippines relations in the past few years and said that he would continue to “strengthen anti-epidemic cooperation and provide support and assistance to the Philippine side in fighting the epidemic” and “promote the implementation of more cooperation projects.” According to reports from the Chinese Communist Party’s official media, Duterte also praised the relations between the two countries and appreciated China’s assistance in providing vaccines to the Philippines. He hoped to continue to strengthen cooperation with China in the fight against the epidemic, and hoped that the two countries would achieve more practical cooperation in the fields of infrastructure and agriculture. Results. He also promised that he “will not do anything that harms China’s interests in geopolitics, and is willing to actively promote the sustainable development of ASEAN-China relations” and so on.
If Beijing has received Duterte’s guarantee of “not harming China’s interests”, will this guarantee still be valid after the Philippines’ interests are harmed by the CCP? Beijing has to think about it.
Judging from the two things that embarrassed the CCP inside and outside the ASEAN venues, although ASEAN is because the CCP is an important market and investor country, and China’s size is not something that these small countries can contend with, it involves its own interests. On the one hand, ASEAN countries still dealt with Beijing through Baotuan, which is why the CCP has so far failed to make any progress on the South China Sea Code of Conduct. And as the CCP becomes more and more unwelcome in the international community, such embarrassing things should still occur.
Editor in charge: Putan
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