By Junex Doronio
AS TODAY’S POPULAR MEME “WALANG FOREVER,” China can be replaced as a trading partner as one of the “diskarte” (strategy) to retaliate against the bullying neighbor in connection with the issues in West Philippine Sea.
This idea was floated on Saturday by maritime expert Jay Batongbacal who said the Philippines could always have other trade partners aside from China.
“Marami rin tayong nakukuha sa China, in the same way marami rin silang nakukuha sa atin. Again, sa akin, dehado pa rin tayo kahit kumukuha sila sa atin, kumukuha sila ng raw materials, mga mines, agricultural products, tapos ang i-export nila sa atin ay mga finished products na,” Batongbacal said in an interview with Teleradyo Serbisyo.
Batongbacal, director of the University of the Philippines Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea, also noted goods that the Philippines imports from China can be found in other countries.
Meanwhile, Liberal Party (LP) president Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman is toying with the idea of working with other countries on “calibrated” economic sanctions on China as a way to counter its bullying.
“We should implement calibrated economic sanctions against China, together with countries na masyadong marami na, like the G7 countries, like Australia, India, and the members of the European Union… These economic sanctions will fall hard on China sapagkat mayroon sila ngayong tinatawag na economic meltdown,” he said.
(ai/mnm)
