Bloomberg News: Philippines, China Agree to Preserve Ties as They Repeat Claims

The Philippines' president says "back-door talks with China helped ease tensions". (Do you hear that, Mr. Ishihara and Mr. Noda?)

From Bloomberg News (9/24/2012):

Philippines, China Agree to Preserve Ties as They Repeat Claims

The Philippines and China agreed to prevent further worsening of their relations even as both reiterated claims on a disputed territory, the Southeast Asian nation’s Interior Secretary Mar Roxas said today.

“Irritants continue to be present,” Roxas told a televised briefing in Manila, adding Chinese ships remain in Scarborough Shoal, an area being claimed by both nations. Roxas met with Vice President Xi Jinping last week and he said the discussions ended with a mutual expression of sovereignty. Back- door talks with China helped ease tensions, President Benigno Aquino said on Sept. 21.

“I don’t expect much progress in the interim until that leadership change has been completed,” Roxas said, referring to China’s leadership transition.

China also says it is cooperating with South Korea to further pressure Japan on the territorial claims, according to Nikkei Shinbun (9/25/2012). According to the paper, the foreign ministers from China and Korea got together and talked in New York as they were in town for the UN General Assembly. They agreed to put pressure on Japan by let the whole wide world know the "correct history" at the UN meeting. Japan's Prime Minister Noda will address the assembly on September 26. The Korean foreign minister says his country will see what kind of speech PM Noda will make, and will respond accordingly in the Korea's speech on September 28.

Nikkei's article on September 14 says Noda will speak about "the rule of law" at the UN. His "law" is "international law", as if international law is fairer. (Sigh...)

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