China has started to contain the situation by dispatching Foreign Minister Qin Kang to the Philippines, a representative ‘pro-US country’ in the ASEAN region, which is undergoing joint military exercises with the United States. The Philippines is a neighboring country with Taiwan only 360km away. China is in a situation where it is necessary to secure allies as much as possible at a time when the US-China conflict over Taiwan is intensifying. However, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who was elected last June, is stepping up his pro-American moves.
According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry on the 23rd, Foreign Minister Qin Gang met with President Ferdinand Marcos in Manila the previous day and said, “I hope the Philippines will accurately grasp the trend of history and focus on regional peace and stability.” We hope to respect the sovereignty, safety and territorial integrity of the country.” He added, “I hope to carry out the promise of maintaining strategic independence and not taking sides.”
In response, President Marcos is reported to have said, “We must ensure that the relationship between the two countries continues to develop on a healthy and normal track.”
The Philippines and the United States have been conducting an annual joint military exercise called “Balikatan” in the South China Sea since the 11th. The training, which lasted until the 28th, involved 12,200 U.S. soldiers, 5,400 Philippine soldiers, and 111 Australian soldiers, the largest ever. Deterring China’s military expansion in the South China Sea is the primary purpose of this large-scale joint exercise. Analysts say that it is unusual for a Chinese diplomat to visit the Philippines under these circumstances. It is said that he was so urgent in China.
In January, the Philippines is strengthening military cooperation with the United States, including an agreement to build additional US military bases in four places in the Philippines, including on Luzon Island, which is close to Taiwan. The Philippines has been pro-American since signing a mutual defense treaty with the United States in 1951. Former President Rodrigo Duterte, who came to power in 2016, became estranged from the United States for a while, claiming a pro-China line, but with the arrival of the Marcos government last year, he is rapidly getting closer to the United States. On the other hand, territorial disputes with China continue in the South China Sea, and conflicts do not cease.
In an interview with Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the 22nd, Chen Xiangmiao, associate researcher at China’s National Institute of the South China Sea, said, “China will have to manage risk factors so that relations with the Philippines do not deteriorate further.” We will make efforts to continue an amicable relationship through this visit by the manager,” he predicted.
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Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.