Noy-Hu meet unlikely at APEC

MANILA, Philippines - Even as President Aquino arrived in Vladivostok, Russia for the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit last night, there was still no confirmation of his meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao.

In his departure speech yesterday afternoon, Aquino said the summit “is an opportunity to dialogue with countries that are part of the APEC and to strengthen our relationship towards development.”

“Aside from this, we also want to raise some timely issues with neighboring countries that are part of the summit,” he added.

Malacañang and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) officials also could not confirm whether a meeting with Hu would take place on the sidelines of the summit.

“We don’t have final confirmation on that. We are hoping that by the time the President gets to Vladivostok, his schedule will have been finalized,” Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Secretary Ricky Carandang said.

DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez yesterday told The STAR that there was nothing definite yet about the meeting between Aquino and Hu.

Aquino also vowed to lure more investors to create more opportunities in the country.

“Every capital that will enter our country would mean additional foundation towards a brighter future for our people,” Aquino said before boarding a chartered Philippine Airlines flight at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 at about 1 p.m. yesterday.

Philippine ambassador Alejandro Mosquera told Manila-based reporters at the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok that he also had no information on whether the meeting with Hu would take place. 

Aquino has four confirmed bilateral meetings with the leaders of Singapore, Chile, Malaysia and Vietnam,.

Set for bilateral talks with Aquino were Malaysian Prime Minister Abdul Razak, Vietnam President Truong Tan Sang, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Chile President Sebastian Pinera Echenique.

Carandang said he had no information on what issues Aquino would raise during the summit, adding, “The real action in APEC will be the bilaterals that we’re having with our friends there... So let’s wait for the results of those bilaterals.”

The Philippines and China are locked in a diplomatic row over the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). Beijing has beefed up its presence in areas that are part of Philippine territory, particularly Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal and the Spratlys.

News of Hu Jintao seeking a meeting with Aquino first cropped up during an APEC briefing in Manila last week, during which DFA Undersecretary Laura del Rosario told Palace reporters the Chinese leader wanted to talk with Aquino in Vladivostok. But she clarified nothing was definite yet.

“Availability is the problem. Even if you have counterparts who want to meet with you but if you have no common time that becomes a problem. So, even if you want to talk, you cannot talk,” she said, citing “complicated” schedules of heads of state. – With Delon Porcalla