Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 20) — Ambassador Henry Bensurto Jr., the diplomat who designed the blueprint of the Philippines’ case against China at The Hague, said Manila’s policy in its maritime dispute with China in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) should be long-term and independent of political administrations.
In an interview on CNN Philippines’ Politics As Usual on Wednesday, Bensurto, who is currently Philippine envoy to Turkiye, explained that the WPS row is a “long haul struggle” that calls for consistency and commitment.
“What we have to do is look at it from a very strategic perspective — a policy that transcends political administrations, and for every administration to remain committed, constant, and consistent in working on that strategic perspective,” Bensurto said.
We have to make clear to every political administration that this is the national interest of the country and that this should be beyond politics because the West Philippine Sea issue is a non-partisan issue,” stressed Bensurto, who was part of the Philippine team that filed the arbitration case against China.The arbitral tribunal in 2016 ruled in favor of the Philippines and nullified China’s sweeping claims over the South China Sea, which overlapped with the WPS.The career diplomat said that while China is aware that it is “not on the right,” it is “actively exploiting” the Philippines’ willingness to change course in response to the political atmosphere, which he said is perceived as a sign of weakness.China knows it is not on the right,” Bensurto said. “This has been proven with the third-party adjudication. But if China is convinced that we ourselves are not convinced and we are not committed and we cannot sustain this in the long run, they will persist and they will continue.President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recently expressed that the “more assertive” Beijing is posing a “real challenge” to its Asian neighbors.Marcos succeeded former president Rodrigo Duterte, who nurtured friendly ties with China under his term.We know now that appeasement is not a correct approach because instead of settling the issue, it actually aggravates the matter and places the situation in a more conflictual manner,” said Bensurto.With China ignoring the Philippines’ diplomatic efforts, Marcos also called for the need for a “paradigm shift” in addressing the WPS issue, which Bensurto hailed as a “shift in the right direction.I think we just have to sustain this and the people will have to rally behind the president on this,” he said.
Bensurto further noted that Marcos separating his personal emotions from national interest is a “good indication” of the character of the president.
Amid calls for the removal of Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian over China’s heightened aggression in the WPS, Marcos said Beijing’s envoy should retain his post as “he is just doing his job.”
The chief executive reiterated that he hopes to avoid situations that could lead to “an actual violent conflict” as a result of a mistake or misunderstanding.He also sought the help of the international community in developing a new approach to the WPS issue.On Dec. 10, a Philippine vessel was blasted with a water cannon by the China Coast Guard, causing serious engine damage. It is just one of several incidents that have caused tensions between the two countries.
