MANILA, Philippines – China should learn to “embrace” the rise of its Asian neighbors to ensure a “more prosperous” region, a former ambassador said, as he compared regional disputes to the television series Game of Thrones.

“We’ll see how the Game of Thrones concludes in the book and TV series, but my hope is, the story here in this region will be one that will embrace China’s rise, but China also needs to embrace the rest of Asia’s rise,” Curtis Chin, former US ambassador to the Asian Development Bank, said in an interview with Rappler’s Maria Ressa on #TalkThursday on August 14.

China explained he sees the Game of Thrones – which he described as “a great tale of ancient history and contending kingdoms” – in regional tensions such as those between China and Japan, and Japan and South Korea. (READ: Asia’s progress still marred by politics of identity)

China and Japan remain embroiled in a dispute over the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, and Japan and South Korea in a dispute over the Dokdo/Takeshima chain of islets.

The Philippines itself, along with other Southeast Asian countries, is caught in a dispute with China over the South China Sea, parts of which the Philippines calls the West Philippine Sea.

“My hope for China is that they will see it’s also in their interest to work together with all their neighbors for a more prosperous region,” said Chin, who is now managing director of advisory firm RiverPeak Group, LLC.

(Watch the full #TalkThursday interview below)

Philippines ‘constrained by its economy’

Referring to the Philippines’ dispute with China, he also said he “would love to have seen a stronger response by the Philippines,” even as the Southeast Asian country brought China to court in 2013.

“But I also recognize the Philippines is also constrained by its economy, by the state of its own military. So I think in the long run, if we’re talking about long term issues, the Philippines, United States, Asia would be better off with a stronger Philippines, one that’s better able to finance a stronger military,” he said.

China remains the Philippines’ third biggest trading partner. China’s army also dwarfs the Philippines’. (READ: South China Sea: The heavy price of conflict)

Recently, the South China Sea dispute took center stage again after a meeting by foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

In the joint communiqué released after the 47th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Myanmar, the foreign ministers said they “remained seriously concerned over recent developments which had increased tensions in the South China Sea.”

During the meeting, the Philippines proposed a freeze on provocative activities in the South China Sea, which gathered “broad support” among ASEAN countries, according to the Philippines.

China, however, rejected the Philippines’ proposal by saying it “can build what it wants in the South China Sea,” as reported by Reuters. (READ: PH hits China over sea plan: ‘We’re humoring ourselves’) – Rappler.com