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What Binds is Greater than what Divides Us

What Binds is Greater than what Divides Us

What Binds is Greater than what Divides Us

What Binds is Greater than what Divides Us
On January 29, 2016, a conference about Asian development and peace was held at Balay
Kalinaw in the University of the Philippines-Diliman. The conference presented a variety of
speakers that discussed briefly what, why, who and how we can face the challenges of
development and maintaining peace in Asia. The morning session of the conference focused
mainly on securing peace in Asia despite the external threats imposed by other countries such as
the United States. It also includes on how the Philippines can preserve peace notwithstanding the
territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea. Economic development in Asia was also tackled by
one of the speakers. The afternoon session, meanwhile, talked about the Japanese perspective on
development and peace in Asia, the role of women in the development and peace in the present
era, protection of human rights of migrant workers and the Bangsamoro and its security
implication in Southeast Asia.
This paper will focus on the second speaker, Mr. Ericson Baculinao. He is currently
Beijing Bureau Chief of US National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) news. His presentation is
titled, Chinese perspective on development and peace in Asia and its implications for the
Philippines. He explained that the Philippines should adopt a new economic diplomacy with
China in order to solve the conflict between the two countries.
He showed a video clip about the Chinese and Vietnamese experts leaving for six months
for exploration of resources in the gulf of Tonkin. The dispute over the gulf of Tonkin between
China and Vietnam lasted for thirty years (30) before the two countries agreed for joint
cooperation. The joint cooperation of China and Vietnam established three zones such as joint
fishing zone, transitional fishing zone and buffer zone (Nguyen,2011). He mentioned this

What Binds is Greater than what Divides Us

incident because Mr. Baculinao believed that the arbitration case of the Philippines against China
should not be the only approach to settle the dispute with China.
The discussion of Mr. Baculinao is divided into six parts. The first part of his discussion
is about how Chinas Communist party thinks. Mr. Baculinao said you cannot understand what
China is thinking unless you understand the Communist way of thinking. China rejected the
soviet economic plan and stick with its market economy play which resulted to its massive
economic development today. Mr. Baculinao mentioned that China has three core interests
namely: social system stability, economic development and national sovereignty and territorial
integrity. Due to these core interests, China developed rapidly compared to the Soviet Union
which collapsed eventually.
The second part of the discussion is the theory of peaceful rise of China. Mr. Baculinao
mentioned the lessons that we could learn from the collapsed of the Soviet Union. Soviet Union
collapsed because of its economic independence. Comparing China to the Soviet Union, Chinas
economy is interdependent with other countries. Recently, China was declared as the number one
trading partner of one hundred twenty eight (128) countries around the world. As a result, China
is not easy to bring down because if one country or countries attempt to bring down China, it will
also bring down the economy of other countries. Therefore, once Chinas economy experience
stagnation, the rest of the world economy will suffer too. It is like a domino effect. The peaceful
rise of China is possible because it embraces globalization and because of its good neighborhood
diplomacy with countries around the world.
The third part of the discussion was the One Belt, One Road strategy which is Chinas
answer to the United States (U.S) Pivot to Asia. This strategy is developed by China referring

What Binds is Greater than what Divides Us

to the New Silk Road Economic Belt and Maritime Silk Road that aims to connect Europe
and Asia (Caixin,2014). Mr. Baculinao mentioned that this strategy is one of the mechanisms of
economic diplomacy, which could settle the dispute between the Philippines and China.
Economic diplomacy is defined as the used of economic tools or resources of the state to achieve
its national interest including economic activities such as export, import, investment, free trade
agreement and many more (Bergeijk & Moons, 2009). China is using its resources to unlock the
interconnectivity value of what could be a world island economy. China aims to connect Asia
and Europe in a world island economy. If this vision is realized, world island economy could
become the worlds largest economy. In addition, the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) will never
be successful without China because in the present time, China is biggest trading partner of those
countries involved in TPP.
The fourth and fifth part of the discussion focused on the Asian Infrastructure Investment
Bank (AIIB) and the New Development Bank of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa
(BRICS). This is another mechanism of economic diplomacy. China invests to the United
Kingdom economy amounting to one hundred fifty (150) billion US dollar. Today, Chinas
economy is in transition from the old rapid export economy to a more sustainable consumption
growth, innovation and outward investment economy. Further, the Chinese middle class is
emerging that they now exceed the US middle class last year.
On the last part of his presentation, Mr. Baculinao stated that the stronger China becomes,
the more vulnerable it becomes. Therefore, it needs the cooperation of other countries like the
Philippines. Chinas growing economic power is much more vulnerable; hence it needs more
security. The territorial dispute between China and the Philippines could be resolved with
peaceful means like the dispute between China and Vietnam. However, settling the dispute will

What Binds is Greater than what Divides Us

not happen overnight. What we can do now is to wait until the right settlements are made. The
Philippines do not need military reinforcement from the US because we can settle our dispute
with China through peaceful means, whereby, both countries will benefit. Further, as what Mr.
Baculinao said the joint cooperation between Vietnam and China benefit the two countries more
compared before. The Philippines being weaker compared to China should enhance its trust and
engage economically with China because it will be beneficial for us. If the ambition of Chinas
economic plan especially the non-military and non-coercion approach to development and peace
will succeed, it will make a big difference globally and internationally.

What Binds is Greater than what Divides Us

References:
ADePT. (2016, February 5). Conference calls for people-centered policy actions for Asian
development and peace. Retrieved February 7, 2016, from http://adeptoday.org/
Baculinao, E. (2016, January). China's perspective on development and peace in Asia:
Implications for the Philippines. Paper presented at What Binds is Greater than what
Divides us, University of the Philippines, Diliman Quezon City.
Bergeijk, P., & Moons, S. (2009). Economic diplomacy and economic security.
Retrieved February 7,

2016,

from

http://poseidon01.ssrn.com/delivery.php?

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096096090117113041000008060051058110118086096068108083113060083005001074
098093122085005094002023047064085004115013018003030020085125125092098072
082074069127022094123081110115116005098&EXT=pdf
Caixin. (2014). One belt, one road. Retrieved from http://english.caixin.com/2014-1210/100761304.html
Nguyen, L. (2011). Cooperation in the gulf on Tonkin. Retrieved February 7, 2016, from
http://cil.nus.edu.sg/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Session-6-Lan-Anh-Gulf-of-Tolkinpdf.pdf

What Binds is Greater than what Divides Us