Primer on RP-China Agreements: Legal Objections and Remedies
Preliminary Statement
RP-China’s bilateral cooperation has continued its existence for 31 years. In 2007, after the recently concluded 12th ASEAN Summit, Philippines engaged on expanding its bilateral relations with China. The government reportedly wants to promote the bilateral trade and development in agricultural, fisheries and food products as a means to attain food security, create jobs and alleviate poverty. The government also wants to pursue its bioethanol program and to meet the growing demand for potable water as well as agricultural irrigation water.
What are RP-China Agreements?
RP-China agreements refer to the bilateral agreements entered into by and between Philippines and China on January 15-16, 2007. During said period, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, discussed and witnessed the signing of several bilateral agreements between the two countries, including on trade, cultural protection, agriculture, mass transportation and customs cooperation. A total of thirty-one agreements were signed— twelve agreements were signed on January 15, and nineteen more agribusiness agreements were signed on January 16. Most of these agreements were made effective immediately after the signing of said agreements.
1. Framework Agreement on Expanding and Deepening Bilateral Economic and Trade Cooperation between the Philippines and China.- The Framework Agreement gives priority cooperation in the areas of agriculture, public works and infrastructure construction, housing construction, energy, tourism, and industrial parks and economic development zones. The agreement also aims to promote investment in the next 10 years;
2. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) between NEDA, DTI and MOFCOM on Establishing the Economic Cooperation Working Group (ECWG). -The MOU provides for the creation of a functional working group mechanism that will merge the Joint Working Group on Mining Cooperation and the Joint Working Group on Infrastructure Cooperation under the framework of the Philippine-China Joint Commission on Economic and Trade Cooperation (JCTEC). The ECWG will actively promote effective cooperation between the two countries in the areas identified in the Framework Agreement on the Establishment of an Economic Partnership Expanding and Deepening Bilateral Economic and Trade Cooperation between the two countries;
3. Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation between the Philippines and China- Agreement covers Chinese Government’s provision of a 15 Million Renminbi grant to the Philippine Government. This grant shall be used for the formulation, promotion and implementation of projects to be discussed and agreed upon by the two Governments.
4. Framework agreement on the provision of concessional loan by China to the Philippines- This agreement covers the Chinese Government’s provision through the Export-Import Bank of China of a concessional loan not exceeding 800 Million Renminbi to the Philippine Government. The concessional loan shall be utilized to implement projects to be agreed upon through consultations between the two Governments, particularly the Non-Intrusive Container Inspection System Project, Phase 2;
5. Memorandum of Agreement on cooperation on industrial products safety- This agreement intends to facilitate and promote bilateral trade by removing unreasonable technical barriers to trade and enhancing exchange of information, particularly technical regulations and standards on industrial products between the two countries. It will ensure that imported and exported products of both countries conform to the requirements of safety, health and environmental protection and that the measures against deceptive practices and technical barriers are minimized.
6. Agreement on the Protection of Cultural Heritage- This agreement is the expression of the desire of both governments to strengthen cooperation and exchange in the field of cultural heritage protection and management. Under this agreement, both governments will take the necessary measures in accordance with their existing laws and national policies to coordinate their efforts to protect and manage their cultural heritage.
7. MOU regarding the loan agreements on the utilization of US$500 million Preferential Buyer’s Credit between the Department of Finance (DOF) and the Export and Import Bank of China, and the loan agreement on the provision of US$500 million Preferential Buyer’s Credit Loan for the Northrail Project Phase 1, Section 2;
8. Agreement between North Luzon Railways Corporation and China National Machinery Industry Corporation for the Northrail Project Phase 1, Section 2;
9. The Engineering Procurement and Construction Contract for the Rehabilitation and Upgrading of the Philippine Mainline of the South Luzon Railway Project Phase 1, Section 1- This engineering, procurement and construction contract details the implementation by the Philippines National Railways and the China National Technical Import and Export Corporation as the Development Entities of the Main Line South Railway Project, Phase 1 on behalf of the Philippine and Chinese governments respectively. The project involves the rehabilitation and upgrading of the 77.4-km section of the existing PNR railroad line from Calamba to Lucena City.
10. The Agreement on the Prevention of Theft, Clandestine Excavation, Illicit Import and Export of Cultural Property- This agreement shall facilitate collaboration between both governments in adopting preventive, mandatory and remedial measures to combat unlawful and criminal practices opposed to the protection of cultural property, in accordance with their existing domestic laws.
11. Concesional Loan Agreement on Non-Intrusive Container Inspection System Project, Phase 2- The project, which involves the purchase, installation and operation of twenty (20) units of scanning equipment will further sustain the container inspection modernization efforts initiated under the first phase. It generally aims to adopt a non-invasive detection technology to facilitate a faster, more reliable examination and inspection of sealed cargoes and shipments, with particular concern for detecting anti-social goods like weapons, drugs and other contraband. Three (3) units each will be deployed in the South Harbor and the Manila International Container ports. Two (2) units will be deployed in the NAIA airport while one (1) mobile unit each will be deployed in the Cebu City, Subic, Clark, Batangas, San Fernando, Legaspi, Iloilo, Tacloban, Surigao, Cagayan de Oro, Zamboanga and Davao Ports.
12. MOU between the China Export and Credit Insurance Corporation and Philippine Government Agencies (NEDA, Department of Finance and Trade and Investment Development Corporation of the Philippines). - The objective of this MOA is to explore and create more project opportunities for the benefit of the government and private sectors in order to contribute its share in carrying out and supporting the Framework Agreement on Expanding and Deepening Bilateral Economic and Trade Cooperation Between China and the Philippines.
AGRICULTURAL DEALS
1. MOA on expanding and deepening agriculture and fisheries cooperation between the two countries.- anchored on the 1999 MOA on Agriculture and Fisheries Cooperation and the 2004 MOU on Fishery Cooperation between the two countries. The objective is to expand and deepen the scope and cooperation between the agricultural agencies of both countries and help the Philippines achieve food security and create jobs in the countryside.;
2. MOA allowing the Fu Hua Company of China to invest some US$ 3.83 billion (30 billion RMB) in one million hectares of land in the Philippines for the cultivation of hybrid corn, hybrid rice and hybrid sorghum;
3. MOA with Jiangnan Wholesale Market that assures the DA a 5,000-square-meters space for Philippine tropical in China’s largest fruit and vegetable center;
4. MOA with E.L. Enterprises Inc. establishing a US$ 120 million agro-industrial project with all-weather greenhouses for the production and export of quality flowers and off-season vegetables and fruits to Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan;
5. MOA with the China CAMCE Engineering Co. Ltd. on the provision of small mobile ice plants and transport facilities to municipal fishery cooperatives and associations;
6. MOA with the Guangzhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences (GAAS) and the Guangdong Provincial Department of Science and Technology to increase their techno-demo farm area in Mabalacat, Pampanga from two to 35 hectares, with a plan to commercialize the planting involving 2,000 hectares if the demo farm succeeds;
7. MOA between the Philippine China Fisheries Consortium Inc and the Xunshan Fishery Co. Ltd. on the breeding and culture of grouper and other high-value species;
8. MOA with the China CAMCE Engineering Co. Ltd. on the construction of a shipyard, establishment of a cold storage facility, and the rehabilitation of the Navotas Fish Port Complex;
9. MOA between the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) and CAMCE on the Candaba Water Resource Project, which aims to develop the swamp area as an as an alternative source of irrigation and potable water;
10. MOA with the Agricultural Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on the development of an initial 40,000 hectares of agribusiness lands for cassava and sugar for ethanol production for China ’s domestic consumption;
11. MOA between the Department of Agriculture and the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) of China in the field of sanitary and phytosanitary measures.- The agreement on SPS Cooperation is a testament to the growing recognition of the primary importance that SPS measures in protecting the health and the life plants, animals and humans amidst increasing global trade;
12. MOAs between the Nanning Yongkai Industry Group and B.M. SB Integrated Biofuels Company on joint ventures to establish bioethanol plants in the country;
13. MOA on a joint venture on fisheries between the Philippine Marine Technology Group Inc. and the Shandong Gaolu Co. Ltd.;
14. MOA between Sun Warm Tuna Fishing Corp. and the Guangdong Guangyuan Fishery Group Co. Ltd. on the breeding and culture of abalone, sea cucumbers, sea urchins and scallops;
15. MOA on cooperation between the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the Guangdong Ocean and Fishery Administration;
16. Beidahung projects involving the development of 200,000 hectares of land in the North Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle (NLAQ); identification of potential sites for agri-tourism and organic food growing; setting up of a modern farm production facility; and the establishment of a bio-chemical facility;
17. MOA between China National Constructional and Agricultural Machinery Import and Export Corporation (CAMCE) and Palawan Bio-Energy Development Corp;
18. MOA between One Cagayan Resource Development Center Inc. and the Nanning Yongkai Industry Group to develop bio-ethanol plants that would each have a capacity to produce at least 150,000 liters a day;
19. Memorandum of Agreement Negros Southern Integrated Biofuels Company and Nanning Yong Kai Industry Group Co., Ltd. for the supply machineries and equipment to manufacture bioethanol.
What are the objections to RP-China Agreements?
Constitutional and Legal Issues:
a. Procedural Aspect
a.1 Lack of Transparency and People’s Participation
It is mandated in our Constitution that the people and their organizations should be allowed to participate effectively and reasonably at all levels of social, political, and economic decision-making. It appears that when our government entered into agricultural agreements with Fu Hua Company, Jiangnan Wholesale Market, China CAMCE Engineering Co.Ltd, Guang Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guangdong Ocean and Fishery Administration among others, the affected sub-sectors in agriculture, and fisheries were not consulted prior to such agreements.
Moreover, since the RP-China Agreements were concluded, access to official records, and to documents and papers pertaining to said agreements have not been made available to the public. This violates the Constitutional State policy of full public disclosure on all matters affecting the public interest, as well as the Constitutional right of the people of access to information.
Also, when the government entered into loan agreements on the utilization of US$500 million Preferential Buyer’s Credit with Export and Import Bank of China, and the loan agreement for the Northrail Project Phase 1, Section 2, information on said foreign loans was not made available to the public. Said agreement as well as the (a) Framework agreement on the provision of concessional loan by China to the Philippines, (b) the MOA with the China CAMCE Engineering Co. Ltd. on the construction of a shipyard, establishment of a cold storage facility, and the rehabilitation of the Navotas Fish Port Complex through a credit loan facility, are debt creating, and thus information on said foreign loans must be made available. Failure of the government to give information on said foreign loans violate the right of the people to information on foreign loans obtained or guaranteed by the Government.
b. Substantive Aspect
b.1. Against the Policy of Neutrality
The State in relation with other States shall consider paramount the national interest of its State. The scope of the Framework Agreement on Expanding and Deepening Bilateral Economic and Trade Cooperation between the Philippines and China encourages Chinese utilization of our lands and marine resources, increases our debts, and promotes unfair competition. The MOA on expanding and deepening agriculture and fisheries cooperation between the two countries would have a detrimental effect in the agrarian reform project of the government, would have a detrimental effect to the preservation and utilization of our marine resources, and would endanger the Philippines’ food security. These agreements are against the national interest of the Philippines. In entering into agreements with other countries, Philippines should consider the welfare of its people and of all the sectors as a whole.
And in furtherance of the national interest of the State, the State shall see to it that equality and mutual benefit would result in entering into bilateral agreements. The Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation between the Philippines and China which covers Chinese Government’s provision of a 15 Million Renminbi grant to the Philippine Government is not commensurate to the benefits that China will get from the Philippines. The MOA with Jiangnan Wholesale Market that assures the DA a 5,000-square-meters space for Philippine tropical in China’s largest fruit and vegetable center is not based on equality for said space is relatively small compared to the lands that will be utilized by China in our country. Further, by cost-benefit analysis, Philippines would be spending more than the return it could get from said Jiangnan Wholesale market because the prices of the goods in said market is relatively small compared to our expenditure. The State shall pursue a trade policy that serves the general welfare and utilizes all forms and arrangements of exchange on the basis of equality and reciprocity.
b.2. Detrimental to a balanced and healthful ecology
b.2.1. Biofuels
The (a) MOAs between the Nanning Yongkai Industry Group and B.M. SB Integrated Biofuels Company on joint venture to establish bioethanol plants in the country, (b) MOA between China National Constructional and Agricultural Machinery Import and Export Corporation (CAMCE) and Palawan Bio-Energy Development Corp, (c) MOA between One Cagayan Resource Development Center Inc. and the Nanning Yongkai Industry Group to develop bio-ethanol plants that would each have a capacity to produce at least 150,000 liters a day , (d) Memorandum of Agreement Negros Southern Integrated Biofuels Company and Nanning Yong Kai Industry Group Co., Ltd. for the supply machineries and equipment to manufacture bioethanol, have no proper safeguards to prevent the intensive use of our scarce water resources, to prevent deforestation, and to prevent destruction of biodiversity.
Even though said agreements are anchored on the Biofuels Act of 2006 , said law did not provide proper safeguards so as to regulate the establishment of Biofuel plants. The Biofuels Act of 2006 was enacted into law last January 12, 2007. The law mandates the use of biofuels with the objective of reducing the country’s dependence on imported fuels with due regard to the protection of health and environment, and help increase rural employment and income.
The DOE has still to come up with the IRR of the Biofuels Act of 2006.
b.2.2 Aquaculture
The MOA between Philippine Marine Technology Group and Shandong Gaolu Co. Ltd and the MOA between Philippine China Fisheries Consortium and Xunshan Group Co., Ltd., allow the parties to engage in all aspects of aquaculture, without making provisions for the protection of the environment. It does provide that said MOAs must be implemented in accordance with the Fisheries Code , but the problem with the said Code is that it does not provide how aquaculture must be regulated and it does not provide for prohibited acts in the practice of aquaculture. There is what we call Code of Practice for Aquaculture , but said Administrative Order does not in any way substantially provide proper safeguards on how aquaculture should be practiced.
It is mandated in our Constitution that the State shall protect the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature.
The agreements appear to promote unregulated and massive aquaculture, which has been found to be detrimental to the environment. The aquaculture industry entices consumers with rock-bottom prices and illusions of sustainability, but the repercussions of this "blue revolution" are felt individually and at a global level. Aquaculture is being marketed as a new protein source, but consumers aren’t hearing all the facts. Fish feed, such as plankton, is harvested from the ocean to feed farm-raised seafood, leaving wild fish populations at even greater risk and ultimately causing a net loss of protein. This would bring about loss of food to other aquatic animals and further lead to their extinction.
Not only are the oceans still being depleted, but many aquaculture farms depend on staggering amounts of antibiotics, fungicides, algaecides and pesticides to fight diseases that run rampant in the polluted ponds created to harvest the shrimp. Research shows that over time, bacteria exposed to antibiotics may become more resistant to those antibiotics, and patients infected with such bacteria are more difficult to treat.
b.3.Opening up of Marine Resources to Chinese Nationals
b.3.1 Status of Marine Resources
RP-China agreements provide that Philippines has extensive marine and inland resources. Contrary to what we are led to believe, our fishery resources are not that rich. Recently, international media reported that global fisheries will collapse by year 2048. Sadly, our country may not even have till 2048...perhaps 2020. There is an urgent need to realize this, cease imagining a somewhat infinite source of marine blessings and start stitching efforts to diligently implement fishery policies. Incidents like poaching of foreign fishers and local government units losing out to illegal fishing activities are but amongst the numerous plea from the seas.
Marine scientists have documented widespread destruction of the coastal environment noting that majority of the coastal ecosystems, the coral reefs, the sea grass beds and the mangroves have been reduced to rubble and decimated by wanton conversion into fishponds, aside from wholesale destruction due to an absence of coastal resource management initiatives.
Fisheries experts from the academe and NGOs have been documenting an alarming decline in fisheries resources.
b.3.2 Use and Conservation of Marine Resources
The MOA between GDOFA and BFAR allows all-around cooperation in aquaculture, fishery products processing, marine fishing, and aquatic products and fisheries necessities trading.
Said agreements will expose our marine resources to China and thus violate the Constitutional mandate of the State to reserve the use and enjoyment of the nation’s marine wealth exclusively to Filipino citizens. These agreements violate the mandate of the State to protect and conserve our marine resources. Further, it violates the policies enshrined in the Fisheries Code to achieve food security as the overriding consideration in the utilization, management, development conservation and protection of fishery resources in order to provide the food needs of the population.
b.4 Land Use by Chinese Interests
The agreements violate the mandate of applying the principle of agrarian reform in the disposition or utilization of other natural resources, including lands of public domain. Further, private corporations or associations may not hold alienable lands of the public domain except by lease, for a period not exceeding twenty-five years, renewable for not more than twenty-five years, and not to exceed one thousand hectares in area.
The (a) MOA allowing the Fu Hua Company of China to invest some US$ 3.83 billion (30 billion RMB) in one million hectares of land in the Philippines for the cultivation of hybrid corn, hybrid rice and hybrid sorghum, (b) MOA with the Agricultural Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on the development of an initial 40,000 hectares of agribusiness lands for cassava and sugar for ethanol production for China ’s domestic consumption, (c) Beidahung projects involving the development of 200,000 hectares of land in the North Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle (NLAQ); identification of potential sites for agri-tourism and organic food growing; setting up of a modern farm production facility; and the establishment of a bio-chemical facility, allow foreign corporations to lease hectares of lands in violation of the limits imposed by the Constitution.
Moreover, the act of leasing vast tracts of lands to foreign corporations would be detrimental to the agrarian reform program of the government and is tantamount to the repudiation by the State of its duty to implement full agrarian reform as mandated under the Constitution. Assuming that the Government will get these lands from idle lands, still it will violate the Constitutional mandate to expropriate idle lands for distribution to the beneficiaries of the agrarian reform program.
What is the over-all conclusion on RP-China Agreements?
RP-China agreements do not promote equality and mutual benefit between the countries. Said agreements have negative impact to the Philippine society. And said agreements are not constitutional and legal based on the following findings:
a. The process in entering into said agreements lacked transparency and the right of the people to participation in decision making was not observed. The full contents of the various RP-China Agreements were not disclosed publicly to the Filipino people. It is unclear whether the foreign loans incurred under such agreements are in accordance with law and the regulation of the monetary authority.
b. The right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature is violated by said agreements.
c. The agreement violate the Constitutional mandate of the State to reserve the use and enjoyment of the nation’s marine wealth exclusively to Filipino citizens. These agreements violate the mandate of the State to protect and conserve our marine resources.
d. The agreements violate the mandate of applying the principle of agrarian reform in the disposition or utilization of other natural resources, including lands of public domain. Further, private corporations or associations may not hold alienable lands of the public domain except by lease, for a period not exceeding twenty-five years, renewable for not more than twenty-five years, and not to exceed one thousand hectares in area.
e. The agreements violate the policy enshrined in the Fisheries Code to achieve food security as the overriding consideration in the utilization, management, development conservation and protection of fishery resources in order to provide the food needs of the population.
f. The Philippine laws are insufficient to fully protect and safeguard our lands, marine resources and environment.
What should be done?
1. Question the constitutionality of these agreements before the high courts.
2. Demand full disclosure of all agreements affecting farmers, fishers and other sectors of the society.
3. Demand wide consultation with the various sectors before the government enters into any further investment, trade and other cooperation agreements.
4. Call the attention of Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to provide proper safeguards to regulate the practice of aquaculture to prevent its harmful effects.
5. Call the attention of the Department of Energy to provide in the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Biofuels Act of 2006 proper safeguards to regulate the establishment of Bioethanol Plants in line with the sustainable development of our scarce water resources and the protection of our environment.
6. To expose to the Securities and Exchange Commission that the purpose or purposes of the corporation to be formed for establishing a Bio-fuel Plant or engaging in aquaculture are patently unconstitutional, illegal, immoral, or contrary to government rules and regulations.
7. Lobby for the laying of foundation of Uniform National Trade Agenda in entering into agreements.
8. Lobby for the establishment of a single department/government agency that will ensure the promotion of the Philippine National Trade Agenda.
9. Engage in forums and foras about these agreements and conduct researches on said agreements
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References
1. 1987 Philippine Constitution
2. Statutes:
a. Biofuels Act of 2006, Republic Act No. 9367
b. The Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998, Republic Act No. 8550
3. Administrative Orders:
a. Code of Practice for Aquaculture, FISHERIES ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 214, Series of 2001.
3. RP-CHINA Bilateral Agreements:
a. Joint Communique of the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (Peking, June 9, 1975)
b. Joint Statement Between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines on the Framework of Bilateral Cooperation in the Twenty-First Century
c. RP-China Agreements (January 15-17, 2007):
c.1. Framework Agreement on Expanding and Deepening Bilateral Economic and Trade Cooperation between the Philippines and China;
c.2. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) between NEDA, DTI and MOFCOM on Establishing the Economic Cooperation Working Group (ECWG);
c.3. Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation between the Philippines and China;
c. 4. Framework agreement on the provision of concessional loan by China to the Philippines;
c.5. Memorandum of Agreement on cooperation on industrial products safety;
c.6. Agreement on the Protection of Cultural Heritage;
c.7. MOU regarding the loan agreements on the utilization of US$500 million Preferential Buyer’s Credit between the Department of Finance (DOF) and the Export and Import Bank of China, and the loan agreement on the provision of US$500 million Preferential Buyer’s Credit Loan for the Northrail Project Phase 1, Section 2;
c.8. Agreement between North Luzon Railways Corporation and China National Machinery Industry Corporation for the Northrail Project Phase 1, Section 2;
c.9. The Engineering Procurement and Construction Contract for the Rehabilitation and Upgrading of the Philippine Mainline of the South Luzon Railway Project Phase 1, Section 1;
c.10. The Agreement on the Prevention of Theft, Clandestine Excavation, Illicit Import and Export of Cultural Property;
c.11. Concesional Loan Agreement on Non-Intrusive Container Inspection System Project, Phase 2;
c.12. MOU between the China Export and Credit Insurance Corporation and Philippine Government Agencies (NEDA, Department of Finance and Trade and Investment Development Corporation of the Philippines).
c.13. MOA on expanding and deepening agriculture and fisheries cooperation between the two countries;
c.14. MOA allowing the Fu Hua Company of China to invest some US$ 3.83 billion (30 billion RMB) in one million hectares of land in the Philippines for the cultivation of hybrid corn, hybrid rice and hybrid sorghum;
c.15. MOA with Jiangnan Wholesale Market that assures the DA a 5,000-square-meters space for Philippine tropical in China’s largest fruit and vegetable center;
c.16. MOA with E.L. Enterprises Inc. establishing a US$ 120 million agro-industrial project with all-weather greenhouses for the production and export of quality flowers and off-season vegetables and fruits to Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan;
c.17. MOA with the China CAMCE Engineering Co. Ltd. on the provision of small mobile ice plants and transport facilities to municipal fishery cooperatives and associations;
c.18. MOA with the Guangzhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences (GAAS) and the Guangdong Provincial Department of Science and Technology to increase their techno-demo farm area in Mabalacat, Pampanga from two to 35 hectares, with a plan to commercialize the planting involving 2,000 hectares if the demo farm succeeds;
c.19. MOA between the Philippine China Fisheries Consortium Inc and the Xunshan Fishery Co. Ltd. on the breeding and culture of grouper and other high-value species;
c.20. MOA with the China CAMCE Engineering Co. Ltd. on the construction of a shipyard, establishment of a cold storage facility, and the rehabilitation of the Navotas Fish Port Complex;
c.21. MOA between the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) and CAMCE on the Candaba Water Resource Project, which aims to develop the swamp area as an as an alternative source of irrigation and potable water;
c.22. MOA with the Agricultural Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on the development of an initial 40,000 hectares of agribusiness lands for cassava and sugar for ethanol production for China ’s domestic consumption;
c.23. MOA between the Department of Agriculture and the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) of China in the field of sanitary and phytosanitary measures;
c.24. MOAs between the Nanning Yongkai Industry Group and B.M. SB Integrated Biofuels Company on joint venture to establish bioethanol plants in the country;
c.25. MOA on a joint venture on fisheries between the Philippine Marine Technology Group Inc. and the Shandong Gaolu Co. Ltd.;
c.26. MOA between Sun Warm Tuna Fishing Corp. and the Guangdong Guangyuan Fishery Group Co. Ltd. on the breeding and culture of abalone, sea cucumbers, sea urchins and scallops;
c.27. MOA on cooperation between the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the Guangdong Ocean and Fishery Administration;
c.28. Beidahung projects involving the development of 200,000 hectares of land in the North Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle (NLAQ); identification of potential sites for agri-tourism and organic food growing; setting up of a modern farm production facility; and the establishment of a bio-chemical facility;
c.29. MOA between China National Constructional and Agricultural Machinery Import and Export Corporation (CAMCE) and Palawan Bio-Energy Development Corp;
c.30. MOA between One Cagayan Resource Development Center Inc. and the Nanning Yongkai Industry Group to develop bio-ethanol plants that would each have a capacity to produce at least 150,000 liters a day;
c.31. Memorandum of Agreement Negros Southern Integrated Biofuels Company and Nanning Yong Kai Industry Group Co., Ltd. for the supply machineries and equipment to manufacture bioethanol.
4. Articles
a. DAVID CAGAHASTIAN, “Wen visit to lead to long-term growth”, January 17, 2007
b. Ginalyn Luaton, “Decoding the Fisheries Code: Has it gone to the fishes or off with the mummies?”, Feb 26, 2007
c. Inquirer, “Philippines, China to sign 19 farm deals totaling P240B”.
16 January 2007
d. Michael Caber and Othel V. Campos with Joyce Pangco Pañares,RP, “China to sign 12 agreements on trade”, Manila Standard, 15 January 2007.
e. Rheeda Abrantes Cabrera, “Local Execs assert RP-China farm deals to create jobs, raise farmers’ incomes”, QUEZON CITY, February 11,2007
f. TFFS, “Reject RP-China anti-farmer deals! Defend food sovereignty!” 08 February 2007
g. WENONAH HAUTER, “The Dangers in Aquaculture’s Boom”, Washington, February 1, 2005
5. Speech:
a. Hon. Jose G. Lansangan, Jr , China-Philippine Friendly Relationship Will Last Forever (October 15, 2003)
6. Useful Sites:
a. Embassy of the Philippines - Beijing- (http://www.philembassy-china.org/relations/update1.html)
b. Backgrounder: http://www.ops.gov.ph/china2001/backgrounder.htm
c. Chinese Embassy in the Philippines- (http://www.china-embassy.org.ph)
d. http://asg.ateneo.edu/news_Pubcon_Biofuel.htm
