JDV on disputes between China and neighbors

Former Speaker de Venecia in a Q & A 

Former five - time Speaker Jose de Venecia discusses the growing belligerence of Mainland China in the South and East China Seas vis-a-vis the South East Asian nations and Japan. Northern Watch's columnist Mortz Ortigoza interviewed the former speaker., Excerpts:
 Northern Watch (NW): Former President Fidel V. Ramos said in recent interview that Mainland China cannot be an aggressor forever because the Association of South East Asian Nations that includes the Philippines has 600 million people which are economically rising to challenge the Sinos in trade dominance someday. Can China afford to lose these countries as trade partners because of its incessant incursions on the disputed isles in the South China Sea?
 JOSE DE VENECIA JR (JDV): Our formula, our strategic joint exploration solves the problem. The problem between (Mainland) China and the Philippines has the same solution as the problem between China and Japan. It can solve the problem with Japan and (South) Korea and their disputed water. (The formula) is a China- sea- wide solution between the Philippines and Malaysia because we have conflict there. It is also the same solutions to the Philippines and Vietnam. It is not only for the Philippines but for the problem of Japan.
NW: Why do these countries don’t adopt your formula?
 JDV: Because nakalagay lang sa conscience natin (what was in our conscience) China is a multi-sided multiple conflicts and a complex issues. My proposal for the joint exploration (on the disputed water and isles) is profit sharing, reasonable profit sharing. At the same time the real solutions of this problem are reconciliation and development. That is the solution!
 NW: Do you think war is inevitable between Japan and China as the former is determined not to give an inch of the Senkaku Islands or Diaoyu Islands for the Sinos ?
 JDV: That will be forestalled again by our joint formula may 50-50 sila (they can divide 50-50) from the resources, the gas, 50-50. It is the same 50-50 formula to solve the water dispute between Japan and Korea. I just came from East Timor Sea where the (gas) resources between Australia –East Timor in North Darwin have shared for joint exploration. The same profit sharing in the Caspian Sea among Iran, Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan.
NW: What’s your take on Edward Luttwak’s, a senior associate for the Center for Strategic Studies in Washington, USA, and consultant to the Pentagon, thesis on his provocative book “The Rise of China vs. the Logic of Strategy” that the Chinese have been imbecilic enough to re-launch territorial quarrels with Japan, Vietnam and India more or less on the same day, when those three countries have more people, more money and more technology than China. Would severing of ties economically with these countries possible as based on the thesis?
 JDV : All of these are possible, that’s why our formula will forestall it. It’s all about the political crisis there, the economic wars will that will follow with this conflict.
NW: Is the growing bellicosity of China in the South China Sea and in the disputed waters in Senkaku Islands is because of the forthcoming election of the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party this November? That party leaders want to portray their patriotism to ingratiate with the party members?
 JDV: They have already decided who will be the president and vice president. They have already decided who will be the prime minister there is no need for that bellicosity.
NW: Press reports said the hard-line stance of the Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda of Japan to nationalized Senkaku against Chinese’s incursions there was because of his forthcoming re-election in Japan?
JDV: In this case that must be necessary because he is for re-election. He is to ensure the victory of his party which is the Democratic Party of Japan - the ruling party which is now facing difficulty. That's why he has taken a high profile stance on the isles.