denny Ethnic & National book

WIKILEAKS: CHINA USED ZTE TO BUY GMA INFLUENCE; A 'TYPICALLY' CHINESE DEAL MANILA, AUGUST 27, 2011 (TRIBUNE) By Michaela P. del Callar - The United States did not see as a threat the flourishing ties between the Philippines and China during the past administration of former President Gloria Arroyo but said the anomalous National Broadband Network (NBN) deal awarded to Chinese supplier ZTE was "typical of the deals that China reportedly uses worldwide to make friends and buy influence," a 2008 US Embassy cable released yesterday by online whistleblower Wikileaks stated. Then US Ambassador to Manila Kristie Kenney, in her April 28, 2008 cable labeled as "sensitive," believes the US remains a reliable ally of the Philippines despite Manila's increasing engagement with Beijing as corruption and graft-tainted projects entered into by the two countries had cast a dark cloud over its intensifying relations. "Strengthened Philippine-People's Republic of China ties do not imply a weakening of our strong bonds with the Philippines," the cable said. "Recent scandals have reawakened long-held views among Filipinos that link ethnic Chinese to corrupt practices." The scuttled deal between Chinese firm Zhong Xing Telecommunication Equipment Co., Ltd., or ZTE and the Arroyo administration, is an allegedly overpriced deal that was supposed to establish a nationwide telecommunications network such as broadband Internet services, video conferencing, landline, mobile phone calls and e-mail ...