This is US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s first foreign mission so it’s not surprising that her message for Japan is full of empathy that it almost sounds platitudinal.
It’s her none-too-subtle reference to North Korea that has a direct bearing on regional security..
Her next stop: Indonesia is where the concerns of the Philippines and the other members of ASEAN will be addressed given that she decided to skip the Philippines which has long projected itself as a first among equals.
Her boss, Barack Obama, spent his elementary school days in Jakarta and the Sdreaded Jemaah Islamiya is based in Indoneia with cells being spawned in Southeast Asia, including the Philippines.
Manila’s exclusion is pregnant with meaning .
In the previous dispensation in the White House, The Philippines was routinely referred to as a frontline ally in the war on terror.
Why not, with the reality that Al Qaeda-linked groups are nestled in the southern Philippines where three international Red Cross workers are into their 5th week of captivity at the hands of the Abu Sayyaf?
The US State Department’s Asia Pacific Desk apparently does not feel ready for Secretary Clinton to take up the wrangle over the Philippine Supreme Court’s order for convicted rapist Daniel Smith to be turned over to a Filipino jail.
That’s because his case is still with the Court of Appeals, meaning that the Visiting Forces Agreement proviso for the completion of judicial processes has not yet been met.
Militant Filipino nationalists are now saying the American snub of the Arroyo regime has turned into a slap.
Popularity: 4% [?]
The U.S. is rightly moving to consolidate its position among the new emerging G-20 Group that together is responsible for 80-90% of formal GDP global output, trade and population.
The group includes the original G-7, EU, Russia, China, Brazil, India, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Argentina, S. Africa, S. Korea, Turkey, Indonesia and Australia. The major creditors of the U.S. are all in the list.
The four countries of China, India, Brazil and Russia together hold half of the worlds dollar reserves. The rest are with the the M.E. countries and Europe.
Japan still being the main creditor (FDI and loans) nation on the planet is naturally closest to the heart of the U.S.
It has nothing to do with the perception of some Pinoys that we are first amongst equals in Asia. Japan has had that distinction ever since the end of the last world war.
Japan can be counted on once again to backstop loans to the U.S. as she needs desperately to weaken her currency once again. She did it in 2003 and can be expected to do the same once again.
J_AG,
In ASEAN, the Philippines has traditionally played a leading role dating back to ASEAN’s forerunner, SEATO.
History also records that while the ASEAN Secretariat is now in Jakarta, among its longest serving secretary generals was Ambassador Rod Severino.
Indonesia, while also SEATO/ASEAN founding member like the Philippines, was in the past more active in the Non-Aligned Movement.
Ding, wala na ang Cold War noon pa. SEATO was Asia’s NATO
U.S. with Japan have always been together in blunting the rise of China. Though it is not talked about the containment of China has always been part of and parcel of U.S. policy.
Deng followed down the path of the Japan export model – mercantilist in substance. But that is history today. Last year alone the U.S. imported $2.5+ trillion worth of goods. It exported $1.8+ trillion. The two countries hardest hit by the U.S. led crisis is China and Japan. It will take time for the U.S. to restructure their consumer debt and in the meantime Asia will have to find another market for all that capacity in place.
That demand in Asia, Latin America and Africa will take a very long time to create. It still does not exist for the most part.
Global power relations are all based on economic power. Diplomacy as they say is better than war over resources and markets. But for Pinoys diplomacy is simply partying and junkets.
China alone today has a formal economy that is three times ASEAN.
All of ASEAN has been primarily the extension of Japans export platform.
Both S. Korea and Taiwan were extensions of that also being formal colonies of Japan.
Financial capitalism was created to blunt the effects of over production by creating future income and expenditure all based on asset valuations
based on purely future expectations.
Based on fiat currency you can kite into eternity. If you are number 1 in the world you can get away with it.
http://www.ft.com/cms/885d7916-e3aa-11dc-8799-0000779fd2ac.html?_i_referralObject=1035752223&fromSearch=n
China to stick with US bonds
By Henny Sender in New York FT
Published: February 11 2009 23:33 | Last updated: February 11 2009 23:33
China will continue to buy US Treasury bonds even though it knows the dollar will depreciate because such investments remain its “only option” in a perilous world, a senior Chinese banking regulator said on Wednesday.
China has used the dollars it accumulates selling manufactured goods to US consumers to accumulate the world’s largest holding of Treasuries.
However, the increasing US budget deficit and its potential impact on the dollar have raised questions about the future Chinese appetite for US debt.
Luo Ping, a director-general at the China Banking Regulatory Commission, said after a speech in New York on Wednesday that China would continue to buy Treasuries in spite of its misgivings about US finances.
“Except for US Treasuries, what can you hold?” he asked. “Gold? You don’t hold Japanese government bonds or UK bonds. US Treasuries are the safe haven. For everyone, including China, it is the only option.”
Mr Luo, whose English tends toward the colloquial, added: “We hate you guys. Once you start issuing $1 trillion-$2 trillion [$1,000bn-$2,000bn] . . .we know the dollar is going to depreciate, so we hate you guys but there is nothing much we can do.”
However, Mr Luo said Chinese officials would encourage its banks to finance domestic mergers and acquisitions rather than provide rescue finance to distressed financial companies in other countries: “There will be no bottom-fishing of financial institutions, particularly in the US, because there is a lot of uncertainty about the quality of the books.”
Mr Luo said China intends to maintain its separation of investment and commercial banking based on its observations of the US after repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act that enforced a similar division of banking activities.
“To some extent, Glass-Steagall has fuelled the crisis,” Mr Luo said. “The separation of commercial and investment banking is likely to stay longer [in China] than before.” Like senior financial officials in other developing nations – such as Mohammad Al Jasser, vice-governor of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency – Mr Luo also spoke out against what he called America’s laissez-faire capitalism.
“Government ownership was viewed as something negative but the pendulum is swinging the other way. Perhaps banking is [no different from] public utilities where government participation is necessary,” he said.
“Deregulation in the US has gone a little bit too far. The market can’t be omnipotent.”
Ding: Hanggang ngayon pa ba, ang Pilipinas ang pinaka-puwedeng ma-asahan ng Amerika dito sa mga Asyano? Mukhang matagal ng hindi, ah.
U.S. imperialism has learned to evolve and since they are the repository of the best and brightest has been using smart power, soft power and if necessary hard power.
Gulangan is the proper Pinoy word for it. Magulang sila.
We have no argument on Japan and why it was Hillary’s first stop, Manong.
Care to share your perspective on the snub-to-slap main thrust of the main post?
Mike,
Dehins na tayo itinuturing na pangunahing kaalyado ng Amerika…. habang tayo’y numero unong kurakot na bansa sa Asya.
Pabigat tayo dahil sa tiwali at huwad na liderato.
I don’t read either a snub or a slap in the Hill’s itinerary being directed specifically at the Philippines, not even on account of GMA’s pro-Bush rep, since that obviously applies to Japan as much. Besides, with only 4 countries on her first trip, how many dozens are being “snubbed” or “slapped” by her “skipping” them.
As for the Militants there is no accounting for their positions in recent days. For all their wailing over the loss of Philippine sovereignty in the Daniel Smith affair, yet they are supporting at least one of the most direct and blatant and ongoing violations of Philippine sovereignty in the NPA insurgency. Using land mines pa. War crimes yan like the aSG’s kidnapping of those Red Cross workers.
If anything Hill is just being prudent. She knows the PHilippines is an infinite bag of snakes right now and honestly, the Americans have bigger problems than Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
She is, after all, the problem of the Filipinos. She can’t be blamed on the Americans, please!
What is touching is how many Filipinos who think they are anti-American, are unconsciously hoping America will “do the right thing” and once more rescue them from a problem of their own making.
It was neither snub nor slap but an Exasperated Sigh.
Manong,
After having desperately sought face time with Uncle Barack repeatedly and getting only late night callbacks in return, after Malacanang just recently announcing that Maid Hillary would reciprocate a visit to Manila… no snub-turned-slap you say?
Hmmmm…
BTW Kuya,
Your “…She knows the Philippines is an infinite bag of snakes right now and honestly, the Americans have bigger problems than Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.” says it :)
Okay, okay, no big hug hehe. but…
WE are only setting ourselves up for the inevitable “pro-forma” expression of age-old friendship and esteem between our two great countries.
Hehehe I can hear ‘The Way We Were’ playing in the background. :)
Ding you do not have to slap the house slave. They know their place… Presidents of the Philippines have known their place all along. I should say except for Quezon. Garcia tried but got nailed for it.
Marcos tried to lead the dance with the American but he failed. All he had was sugar and coconuts. The Americans always lead the dance.
In the case of GMA they did not even have to dance with her and she has been like in her youth always the left out of the dance. She has always been trying to join the dance but no one wanted to dance with her.
Let’s say the CNMI or Puerto Rico declare independence from the USA (now that they are commonwealths). Would the CNMI and PR figure much in the United States scheme of things? These US territories have lost much of their importance since the Cold War.
I feel it is ridiculous that this Republic goes into tampong kulangot mode when somebody like Hillary decides not to spend the night here.
Blackshama,
LOL re your tampong kukangot reference… thought you were referring to someone’s trademark mole :)
The Republic, I maintain, is distinct from its current Malacanang tenant even as she has crowned herself Czarina.
Obama’s handlers know well dismally low GMA’S poll numbers are so they know Filipinos do not take umbrage at the slap.
In fact they do not want that coveted photo-opp to be exploited by you know who. :)
lets wait for the “kicking” part…:) :)
In fairness, Ns. Clinton’s not visiting the Philippines was not a snub. High level visits and meetings are arranged in advance unless there’s an emergency situation, say in the Middle East, that necessitates mediation by the United States.
And we all realize that U.S. priorities in East Asia are the four countries. Most probably, President Obama will visit a couple of those countries in a swing visit after the APEC Summit in Singapore in November.
It was overeager presidential spokesperson who was clueless on ‘diplomatic’ answers/replies and couldn’t read the meaning of the tone and body language of statesmen.
Secretary of State Hilary Clinton message is
clear. Stop acting up. Be Responsible Leaders.
Minimize the Corruptions. Then, you will be taken
seriously.
Those Senate Hearing “Palabas’ is “lumang tugtugin”
already in U.S. Politics. They know a Good Act, if
they see one.
The Philippines was a former colony of the United
States. It is the only colony that was granted
Independence. During World War II, Filipino and
American bloods were intermingled in the battlefields. They shared the same sufferings
and atrocities. There are many Filipino Americans
living in America. Some are supporters of Hilary
Clinton. So, she knows the situation in the
Philippines.
Americans taught us Democracy and Bill of Rights. They want us to Clean Up our acts. Before they will waste their U.S. taxpayers’ money on us in the form of U.S. Aids.
Can our leaders take the clue ? Does this
message penetrates their thick skulls ?
stop thinking like a spoiled kid, ding. how many countries in asia did not get to be visited by hillary? what snubbed? what slapped?
i know imelda, at the height of marcos rule, used to feel “insulted” when a u.s. dignitary bypasses the philippines on a regional visit. why do you have to persist in that queer behavior?
if we invited her and she declined for some reason, why not leave it at that?
Me “acting like a spoiled” what Atty. Ben? :)
Recalling my 11~:42 p.m. exchange with Manong DJB:
“After having desperately sought face time with Uncle Barack repeatedly and getting only late night callbacks in return, after Malacanang just recently announcing that Maid Hillary would reciprocate a visit to Manila… no snub-turned-slap you say?”
so barack did not return the call, hillary did not drop by, so what?? i don’t think your feelings can compete with the monumental problems u.s.a. is currently having. in all fairness, i don’t think they want to slap or snub anyone – it’s all in your mind.
Atty. Ben,
Don’t lose sleep over where and what my mind’s state is.
Think more about where our hearts are, assuming we are Filipinos both.
This despite the comforts in Coonecticut (pun intended :) )and the squalor most Filipinos under the government of the day live in.
not at all ding, i have more important things to lose sleep over. and that’s the point of my comment – imagined snub or slap that isn’t there.
Okidoki.
By the way at least you don’t call me a “punk” or whatever names you call your ‘admirers’.
Bless you, Sir. :)
Rom’s comments make sense, so I echo :
You kids read and misread what you choose to.
Moi never asserted that WE deserve a visit. It’s the regime of the day which has desperately chasing after face time.
Ding: Maybe Rom got that idea from this:
Mike,
Perhaps, but as I said people read and misread based on their bias.
If only people track and analyze more deliberately, they will know that Malacanang itself announced Maid Hillary had “accepted” the invitation extended to her by GMA.
After that announcement the State Department laid out Clinton’s Asia itinerary:
http://midfield.wordpress.com/2009/02/08/hillary-aint-comin-to-manila-just-yet/
people read and misread; people write and miswrite based on their bias (their ability to comprehend news, their misunderstandings, excitability, whether they have had their morning coffee :razz: , etcetera).
Be him a wannabee or an ex-journalist, an ex-physicist or a superstar-consultant who blogposts or blog-responds.
Now, mainstream-media control the quality with quality- or editorial-reviews….. but the blogworld is much more free-for-all (unless the blogsite owner has clamped down on incoming entries).
Different folks, different strokes, different blogpost entries.