Chinese premier scraps visit; East Asian summit may be moved to February

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao canceled his official visit to the Philippines on Dec. 14 and 15 because the two international summits he was supposed to attend in Cebu were postponed.

Wen was supposed to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) plus China, Japan and South Korea and the East Asia summits in Cebu City on Dec. 11 to 14 before making his official visit.

Philippine officials earlier said the two summits were reset to January, but diplomatic sources said yesterday the government is considering holding the East Asia summit in February because of conflicting schedules of ASEAN dialogue partners.

The Chinese foreign ministry did not say in its website if Wen will push through with his official visit and attendance at the Southeast Asian and East Asian summits.

But Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said China informed the Department of Foreign Affairs that Wen’s official visit was also reset to January immediately after the summits.

Before the summits were rescheduled, Wen was also set to witness the signing of bilateral agreements and meet with President Arroyo, Vice President Noli de Castro, Senate President Manuel Villar, Speaker Jose de Venecia and the Chinese community.

Sources said most of the ASEAN nations agreed to the tentative schedule proposed by the Philippines for the Foreign Ministers Meeting, ASEAN summit and East Asian summit from Jan. 8 to 13 in Cebu, but the regional bloc’s dialogue partners Japan, China, Korea, Australia, New Zealand and India are unavailable on these dates.

Manila is considering holding the East Asian summit in the first week of February to accommodate ASEAN dialogue partners.

"The Philippines’ primary consideration is the ASEAN members. But we’re considering the plus three, Japan, China and Korea and also the East Asia Summit members Australia, New Zealand and India. They’re asking us if the summit could be held in February instead so their leaders could participate in the meeting," one official said.

Sources said there could be less attendees to the 12th ASEAN summit and East Asian summit if the host nation will proceed with the leaders’ summit in January.

— Aurea Calica, Pia Lee-Brago