Territorial disputes between China and center Asian states boiled over at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Summit last weekend in Vladivostok, formerly the secretive naval base of the Soviet Russian Pacific Fleet, culminating in President Aquino’s hurried departure on Sunday after failing to hold bilateral talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao on deteriorating Philippine-China relations.
Vladivostok, the enchanting venue of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) forum and leaders’ summit last weekend, is the main Russian port city fronting the Pacific Ocean. In 1959, after a visit to the United States, the Soviet leader Nikita Krushchev dreamed of making Vladivostok Russia’s San Francisco.
During his press conference upon his return from the Apec meeting in Honolulu, President Aquino thanked Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard for the $1 billion aid provided by the Australian government to “help the recent flood and typhoon victims.” Before we applaud the Australian government and its prime minister for their apparent generosity, let us [...]
Honolulu. If he has not left yet, I would advise President Aquino to skip the APEC Summit here in Honolulu. It’s really not worth his time or the country’s money.
