China, US perceive GMA as good leader

MANILA, Philippines - China and the United States perceived former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as a good leader because she had shown being in control, leaked diplomatic cables from the US embassy in Beijing to Washington showed.

Online whistle-blower WikiLeaks leaked the diplomatic cable “Progress in the Philippines, but More Needed” detailing discussions on Southeast Asia between Eric John, then US deputy assistant secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs (EAP), and two senior Chinese diplomats. The leaked cable was dated March 5, 2007.

Hu Zhengyue, then China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs director general for Asian Affairs, discussed with John his country’s efforts in dealing with the Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations.

“Beijing sees President Gloria Arroyo as a good leader because she has shown that she is in control.”

DAS John agreed President Arroyo has stabilized Philippine leadership and enacted strong fiscal and economic policy, but stressed that Beijing and Washington must encourage Manila to continue working hard to promote transparency and good governance, according to the leaked diplomatic cable.

John also cited what he saw as successful US-backed counter terrorism in Mindanao.

Hu observed that China’s and US initiatives in the Philippines are complementary even if the two powers are “working from different directions.”

He underlined China’s investments in Philippine agricultural system and transportation infrastructure, and saw poverty as the key challenge facing the Philippines.

Hu said Beijing recognized corruption as the second biggest problem facing the Philippines, but admitted it “cannot do much about that.”

One of the most high profile cases of private sector corruption during the Arroyo administration was the national broadband network (NBN) project involving China’s ZTE Corp. 

The $329-million NBN deal was signed on April 21, 2007. Allegations of massive corruption prompted the Arroyo administration to cancel the agreement.

Transparency International, in its Global Corruption Report, said it was “disconcerting” that the company at the center of the controversy had not been made to account for the irregularity.

The report also highlighted the reported collusion among foreign contractors and officials in anomalous multimillion-dollar foreign-funded infrastructure projects in Visayas and Mindanao.

Large foreign contractors allegedly colluded with one another to rig bidding processes, and, in doing so, dictated the terms of the bids in violation of government rules and policies.

Chinese Ambassador Liu Jianchao said the scrapping of the deal was an “unfortunate” incident but also a “learning experience” for both China and the Philippines.