道德標杆不可或缺
China's meager aid to the Philippines could dent
its image
By Megha Rajagopalan
BEIJING (Reuters) - China may have wasted the chance to build goodwill in
Southeast Asia with its relatively paltry donation to the
Philippines in the wake of a devastating typhoon, especially with the United
States sending an aircraft carrier and Japan ramping up aid.
The world's second-largest economy is a growing investor in Southeast Asia,
where it is vying with the United States and Japan for influence. But China's
assertiveness in pressing its claim to the disputed South China Sea has
strained ties with several regional countries, most notably the Philippines.
China's government has promised $100,000 in aid to Manila, along with another
$100,000 through the Chinese Red Cross - far less than pledged by other economic heavyweights.
Japan has offered $10 million in aid and is
sending in an emergency relief team, for instance, while Australia has donated $9.6 million.
"The Chinese leadership has missed an opportunity to show
its magnanimity," said Joseph Cheng, a political science
professor at the City University of Hong Kong who focuses on China's ties with
Southeast Asia.
"While still offering aid to the typhoon victims, it certainly reflects
the unsatisfactory state of relations (with Manila)."
China's ties with the Philippines are already fragile as a decades-old
territorial squabble over the South China Sea enters a more contentious
chapter, with claimant nations spreading deeper into disputed waters in search
of energy supplies, while building up their navies.
Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also claim parts of
the South China Sea, making it one of the region's biggest
flashpoints.
The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), a 10-nation grouping that
includes the Philippines, has been talking to China about a binding code of
conduct in South China Sea to ease the friction, but Beijing's frugal aid hints
at a deeply entrenched rivalry that could make forging consensus difficult.
Even China's state-run Global Times newspaper, known for its nationalistic and
often hawkish editorial views, expressed concern about the impact on Beijing's
international standing.
"China, as a responsible power, should participate in relief operations to
assist a disaster-stricken neighboring country, no matter whether it's friendly
or not," the paper said in a commentary.
"China's international image is of vital importance to its interests. If
it snubs Manila this time, China will suffer great losses."
Overwhelmed by the scale of the disaster, the Philippines has sought international assistance.
The U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier the USS George Washington, carrying
about 5,000 sailors and more than 80 aircraft, will arrive this week after
setting sail from Hong Kong on Tuesday. It has been joined by four other U.S.
Navy ships.
The United States is also providing $20 million in
immediate aid. Japan said it will give $10 million and send a small number
of soldiers and medical personnel.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said China would consider more aid
as the situation developed, but did not say why Beijing had offered less than
other countries.
"China has also suffered from the disaster, so we very much understand and
sympathize with the current hardships that the Philippine people are
facing," Qin told a regular briefing, referring to the deaths of at least
seven people and $734 million in economic losses when the much-weakened storm
swiped China's southern provinces.
"We are willing to consider providing more support and aid within our
capacity as it goes."
Lye Liang Fook of the East Asian Institute in Singapore said it was impossible
to separate China's anger over territorial claims from the question of disaster
relief.
"Politically there is a lack of trust, and under the circumstances, the fact
that China is willing to extend aid is quite significant," he said.
"The two issues are linked to each other."
Comments on Sina Weibo, China's version of
Twitter, overwhelmingly opposed China giving aid to the Philippines.
"For God's sake, give them nothing," wrote
one user. "We've given them enough in the past."
Cheng said public sentiment would factor into China's decision.
"I certainly think that relief and aid for natural disasters should not be
affected by political relations. But the Chinese authorities are handicapped by domestic
nationalist feelings as well," he said. "China should have used the opportunity to improve its image."
(Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard. Editing by Dean Yates, Jason Szep and
Nick Macfie)
*******
(點評): 一個真正的偉大人物,除了能力外,道德標杆不可或缺。
國家其實也一樣。 一個真正偉大的國家,除了有形的國力外,道德標杆也不可或缺。
就這一點言,自秦始皇以後的所謂中國,可有哪一個朝代具有這樣的格調與境界? 遑論今朝。(2014年11月14日)
In : 時事政治