Malacañang Palace Appoint Sonia Brady - A New Diplomat for China

Malacañang Palace: During one of the Philippines' worst diplomatic crises in recent history, a tense stand-off with Asian superpower China, talks have been hobbled by the lack of an ambassador in Beijing.

President Benigno Aquino III has finally appointed one, career diplomat Sonia Brady, a China veteran who had already been ambassador there from 2006-2010, as well as a young consul  in the 1970s.

She is also a former ambassador to Myanmar and Thailand.

Aquino's previous appointee, businessman and family friend Domingo Lee, was not approved by Congress' Commission on Appointments because some lawmakers had questioned his qualifications.

Aquino wanted "someone who is already familiar with the politics and the culture of that country. That person can hit the ground running," said spokeswoman Abigail Valte of Brady.

However Brady cannot assume her post until Congress approves her appointment, Valte said.

Valte added that Brady would have concurrent jurisdiction over North Korea and Mongolia. North Korea is considered by many countries as one of the most unpredictable states in the world. It attempted a rocket launch in April that was suspected to be a weapons test, but the launch failed.

Brady's appointment has come as tensions are high between the Philippines and China because of the stand-off at Panatag Shoal, a crisis that has entered its seventh week.

The crisis was triggered last April when Philippine military forces spotted Chinese fishermen gathering marine species but were blocked by Chinese vessels from making arrests.

Valte said Brady is no stranger to Beijing, having been ambassador there from April 2006 to January 2010. She said Brady was in China for President Aquino's state visit to China in 2011, and briefed Aquino and his delegation.

Brady has a master of arts in international relations from the University of Southern California and a foreign service degree from the University of the Philippines, Valte added.

"So isang career diplomat si Sonia Brady (So we can say Brady is a career diplomat)," she said.

Valte said Brady's other career highlights included:

- Ambassador to Thailand 2002 to 2003

- Ambassador to Myanmar 1995 to 1999

- Deputy Chief of Mission to Indonesia 1994 to 95

- Deputy Chief of Mission to Thailand 1992 to 94

- Third Secretary and Vice Consul, Second Secretary and Consul of the Philippine Embassy in Beijing from 1976 to 1978

- Undersecretary for Policy July 2003 to 2006

- Assistant Secretary to the Office of the Secretary for policy and coordination

- Director of the Office of the Asia-Pacific

- Assistant at the office of policy affairs

Last May 10, Aquino appointed Domingo Lee as a special envoy to China assigned to promote tourism for just six months, essentially giving up the effort to have him approved by the Commission on Appointments.

Aquino also appointed Cesar Zalamea, current chairman and chief executive officer of Focus Range International Limited, as a special envoy to advance Philippine economic interests in China by "pursuing initiatives aimed at increasing Chinese investments in the Philippines."

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USA Voice - China sea claims exceed UNCLOS limit

WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says the United States' failure to approve the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea has weakened its advocacy for allies in the disputed South China Sea.

She said China's claims in those waters exceeded what was permitted by the convention. She was speaking at a hearing Wednesday of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, where she and top military leaders offered an impassioned plea for the US to join the pact.

To China's chagrin, the Obama administration has asserted since 2010 that although the US is not itself a claimant state in the South China Sea, it has an interest              in the peaceful resolution of the disputes and in the freedom of navigation in waters that carry a large chunk of global trade  Clinton said the US supported the countries "being threatened" by China's claims.

"As a non-party, we cede the legal high ground to China. We put ourselves on the defensive," she said.

"We are not as strong an advocate for our friends and allies in the region as I would like us to be, and I don't think that's any place for the world's preeminent maritime power to find ourselves."

China is among the more than 160 nations that are party to the convention. Its expansive claims in the South China Sea are disputed by Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines, a US treaty ally.

The convention was concluded in 1982 and has been in force since 1994.

Republican opposition has stalled US approval for years, although the military says it still acts in accordance with the pact's principles.

Despite considerable bipartisan support and the backing of pro-business groups, Democrat committee chairman Senator John Kerry acknowledged the difficulty in moving the treaty, especially in an election year in the United States. Several Republican lawmakers voiced opposition to the convention on Wednesday.

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, said US endorsement would strengthen US security interests as it would provide clarity in definition of navigational rights and maritime zones—at a time of growing competition for resources.

"And from that clarity comes stability. And as we now begin to re-balance our security interests into the Pacific, this becomes very important," Dempsey said.

Democrat Senator Barbara Boxer criticized Beijing's claims in the South China Sea.

She produced a map to show the claims extended far beyond China's own 200-mile exclusive economic zone and amounted to a "significant territorial grab that comes very close to the land borders of countries in the region."

She referred to the standoff at the Scarborough Shoal that began last month when the Philippine Navy accused Chinese fishermen of poaching within its exclusive zone.

The Philippines accused China on Wednesday of sending more government and fishing vessels to the uninhabited, horseshoe-shaped shoal. Manila says China has a total of 96 ships, fishing boats and dinghies there, while the Philippines has two.

China denied the accusation.

Chinese foreign ministry official Hong Lei said there were only about 20 Chinese fishing boats operating in the contested area, roughly unchanged as in previous years, according to a report by the Chinese newspaper People's Daily.

Hong said China's strengthened controls in the Huangyan Island (Scarborough Shoal) waters was in response to the provocative actions of the Philippines, adding that their fishing boats were operating lawfully and in accordance with China's fishing moratorium orders.

Read more in Manila Standards

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