CenPEG vice chair speaks before diplomats and scholars of China

CenPEG.org
Dec. 2, 2013

Prof. Simbulan in front of Tienanmen Square, Beijing.

Upon the invitation of an influential association of former ambassadors, diplomats, and senior scholars specializing in international relations, the Beijing Society for Comparative International Studies (BSCIS), CenPEG Vice Chair Professor Roland G. Simbulan spoke in a series of seminars on "The Philippines, ASEAN and the Big Powers," in Beijing, China, October 24-29, 2013.

In his address before the BSCIS, Prof. Simbulan stressed the importance of mutual respect and harmony among neighbors in Asia. He told the BSCIS that if China wants to win the respect of the ASEAN region and the world as it emerges as a global economic powerhouse, it should just use its soft power - trade, economic relations, investments, development assistance, cultural exchanges and people-to-people exchanges, etc. -- in its relations with weaker countries, especially its neighbors. That, Simbulan said, it should not follow the bad example of Western colonial powers and the current global superpower in Asia that employed and still continues to employ coercion and force through military "hard" power in dealing with smaller and weaker countries.

In addition, the CenPEG vice-chair said, if China wants to gain the respect of its immediate ASEAN neighbors in its backyard, it should also respect the collective decisions and consensus of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Professor Simbulan also had discussions with officials of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences led by Liping Xu, who attended the seminar; Mr. Yang Su, the secretary general of the BSCIS, Chengzhang Qi, the Director of the Central Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) , Mr. Quin Feng, the Director of the Central Policy Research Office of the CPC, and BSCIS council member Mr. Chen Jing Tian, who is a former Naval Attache of China in Washington, D.C. CenPEG News