PHILIPPINES/OTHER ASEAN NATIONS SHOULD ENGAGE A RISING CHINA: EXPERT.

MANILA, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - The rise of China as an economic and military power in the Asia Pacific region does not have to be a cause of alarm for the Philippines and other member-countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

This was the contention of Aileen Baviera, an associate professor at the Asian Center of the University of the Philippines, in her paper with the Philippine APEC Study Center Network (PASCN), whose lead convenor is the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), entitled China-ASEAN Relations: Political Security and Economic Interests.

Baviera warned that there are possible harmful consequences for Southeast Asian countries in treating China as an enemy and a threat rather than as a potential partner.

She thus suggested that both China and the ASEAN should intensify their efforts to expand mutual trust and establish a constructive and comprehensive relationship. Baviera explained that economic and political relations cannot be considered independently of each other when talking about China-Southeast Asian relations.

She noted that from China's perspective, economic relations towards ASEAN depend on common political and strategic interests as well as bilateral economic complementarities rather than an expectation of purely economic gain.

Moreover, Baviera concludes that good economic ties with China will help build the foundations for stronger political relations.

Regarding the disputes between the Philippines and China over the Kalayaan Islands, Baviera stressed that sovereignty, territorial integrity and access to the ocean's economic resources are important concerns of the nation and should be defended and promoted.