China has reportedly expressed willingness “to work with the Philippine government.” I guess this should be premised on civil behavior that properly observes international, regional and local agreements entered into. If one party continually rejects international laws, then that is a cause for worry.
China claims it is a responsible member of the international community. So, it recognizes that it has committed itself to the universal values that the community of nations adheres to—world peace, respect for each other’s sovereignty, resolution of conflicts through peaceful dialogue, and adherence to UN conventions. Therefore, once China sits down for a dialogue with the Philippines, ipso facto it is understood that it will always respect, as a matter of honor and commitment, the recent ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration on the West Philippine Sea.
Moreover, in working with the Philippine government for the cause of peace, it should operate on the standards of civil behavior set by centuries of experience in the arena of international relations. These are the standards that guide nations in their dealings with one another.
China, as member of the community of nations, owes it to the world to conduct itself as a nation of integrity, worthy of the trust of the world.
A “rogue nation” is the last thing a nation will want to be called. It would be to China’s benefit, as well as to the Philippines and all nations, if it heeded the findings of the Permanent Court of Arbitration. China knows that isolation in an interconnected, globalized world is a negative proposition.
—JOSE L. LEONIDAS, leonidas.jose@yahoo.com