"I have the President's trust and conidence"
It doesn’t matter at all if Domingo Lee was not familiar with the terms “hard power” and “soft power” and other common terms in diplomacy during the Commission on Appointments deliberation on his appointment as ambassador to the People’s Republic of China.
He will be the Filipino people’s representative to China because President Aquino wants it.
If you have a Facebook account, click here for the video of the CA hearing:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=685659281
The 77-year old Lee is the childhood friend of the President’s father, the late Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr.
In a lunch meeting with Lee last Monday, he related how he got to be chosen as ambassador to China after the disastrous stint of former Ambassador Francisco Benedicto, Gloria Arroyo’s appointee but was retained by Aquino upon the recommendation by former Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo.
Lee said he never asked for the position. It was Aquino who told him early this year, “Tito, I want you to be posted in Beijing.”
Although surprised, Lee said he did not decline the offer. He said, he asked Aquino, “Are you sure? With your blessing, I will be willing to serve the country.”
Lee said he was aware that there were other Fil-Chinese businessmen who were being recommended for the position like banker Edward Go and flour miller Alfonso Uy.
There is no lack of active senior career diplomats, even retirees who can be sent to Beijing as political appointee, but Aquino has made known his preference to have a political appointee in Washington D.C. (Jose Cuisia) and Beijing.
Lee said last May 18, Aquino told him,”Tito, maraming nagalit sa akin because I appointed you to Beijing.” He was instructed to prepare his papers for the Commission on Appointments.
Despite his embarrassing performance at the CA hearing, Lee insists he is qualified for the job and has something to offer more than the career diplomats. He said he speaks Mandarin, he knows top Chinese officials and the most important, he has “the trust and confidence of the President” and has direct access to him.
Of course, being able to speak Mandarin is an asset for a diplomat in China but what is important is for you to know what to say.
As to being friends with Chinese officials, one has to remember that Chinese officials will work for the interest of China. There will be occasions when the interest of China would conflict with the interest of the Philippines. There is no doubt that the Chinese will use that friendship to pursue their interest. The Philippine ambassador should have a clear idea what is Philippine interest.
It is needless to say that whoever is sent to China should have the trust and confidence of the President. As to direct access, is Lee saying that he will be bypassing the Department of Foreign Affairs in his dealings with China? Does it mean Malacañang and Lee would be conducting a separate foreign relations with China? That would be a foreign relations nightmare.
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If you read a flurry of media items endorsing Lee as the best man for the China post, don’t be surprised because he is on a public relations campaign. Dante Ang said he is helping him pro-bono because he knows Lee’s family very well. He is close to the son.
At the CA hearing, Joem Macaspac (I knew him to be a journalist because we covered Malacanang together during the Ramos presidency but I don’t know if he is still a practicing journalist) was telling a foreign service officer that he is helping Lee in public relations and he has, in fact, already talked with Sen. Serge Osmeña.
Apparently, Macaspac’s talk with Osmeña didn’t work because the latter gave Lee a hard time during the hearing.
Publicus’ Malou Tiquia said she had one meeting with Lee and gave him some suggestions but she has not officially taken him in as a client.