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Friday, March 29, 2024

Farmers’ bonanza seen in China deal

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A FORMER Trade undersecretary said Tuesday that Filipino farmers stand to benefit most if China lifts its barriers to Philippine exports.

“China is going to be a major player and we better deal with them and the opening is there for us for the taking,” said Ernesto Ordoñez, former Trade undersecretary and head of the non-government organization Agriwatch.

“It will be bonanza for the Philippines. We can feed them, they are 1.3 billion,” he said on the ANC news channel.

Ordoñez said that industry estimates show that Filipino farmers stand to earn P40 from exports to its much larger neighbor compared to the every peso that the Chinese earn from exports to the Philippines. 

“China has a lot of tariff barriers that are unusual. You take that out, we’ll be fine,” Ordoñez said. 

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“Strengthening ties with China is important but not at the expense of other allies,” he added. 

Following a tense naval standoff at the Scarborough Shoal in 2012, China has imposed tighter quarantines on Philippine bananas, with thousands of tons of the fruit being impounded and eventually destroyed in Chinese ports.

Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol over the weekend said that China has lifted restrictions on Philippine bananas and pineapples and will be opening up its market to mangoes, coconut and seafood.

President Rodrigo Duterte, who visits China on Oct. 18, is expected to discuss anti-drug cooperation and fishing rights in the disputed Scarborough Shoal when he meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

An official who asked not to be named confirmed the President will ask Xi to help in his war against illegal drugs, many of which come from China.

The same official said Duterte will not raise the decision of the UN tribunal that threw out China’s territorial claims over its nine-dash line policy in favor of the Philippines.

“But fishing rights at Scarborough are part of arbitral ruling,” the source added.

The official said the “huge differences” on sovereignty over the disputed waters would not be resolved in one sitting.

On Tuesday afternoon, Duterte and Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. had a closed-door meeting to discuss what would be raised with China.

Another administration source told the Manila Standard that the Philippines is also waiting for word if China will agree to have a joint statement about the ongoing territorial dispute over the South China Sea.

The source said the Philippines has proposed an agenda prior to the meeting, and this includes the fishing rights.

“President Duterte will ask China to allow Philippine fishermen to fish in the shoal,” the source said.

So far, China has not agreed to the proposal.

Sources added that one reason a meeting between Duterte’s special envoy to China, former President Fidel V. Ramos and Chinese officials was canceled was that Beijing did not want to discuss the Scarborough Shoal.

It was unclear if the recent anti-American rhetoric coming from Duterte and Yasay would soften the Chinese stand.

On Tuesday, President Duterte said he will probably visit Russia after a trip to Japan.

Duterte, who is visiting Brunei, China and Japan this month, said that he would like to form alliances with China and Russia.

“I will go to Japan, then probably I will go to Russia,” Duterte told newly appointed government officials in a speech Tuesday.

Duterte had earlier said the United States did not want to sell missiles and other weapons, but Russia and China had told him they could provide them easily.

Duterte is also set to visit Lima, Peru for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit there.

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