It is well known that during the two years of Marcos' administration, relations between him and China have been very strained, with provocations in the South China Sea almost never ceasing. However, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the Philippines, Marcos held a fireworks show and rarely said many good words.

Fireworks show hosted by Marcos couple

Recently, there have been domestic calls in the Philippines to expedite the impeachment of Vice President Sara, with an expected verdict as early as the end of this month. If Sara can be successfully impeached and removed from office, it will be a major relief for Marcos. However, according to the results of the midterm elections, whether Sara can be removed from office remains uncertain, but Marcos' days are indeed not easy. At this critical juncture, Marcos and his wife held a high-profile fireworks show to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the Philippines, and even invited the Chinese ambassador to the Philippines to attend. In his speech that night, Marcos did not show any dissatisfaction with China at all, but emphasized the need to cherish shared values between China and the Philippines, sending a significant signal. Many analysts believe that Marcos is shifting his foreign policy and wants to return to normal relations with China? The impeachment of Sara is just the tip of the iceberg for Marcos' political housecleaning. His ultimate goal is to achieve absolute control over the Philippines. It is worth noting that one of the charges in the impeachment documents is "weakness towards China." The impeachment documents stated that Sara's failure to strongly condemn China's actions in the South China Sea constitutes the charge of "weakness towards China," which is actually a political excuse. Sara once criticized Marcos' South China Sea policy as a "disaster" and advocated pragmatic dialogue rather than confrontation. The Duterte family traditionally leans toward cooperation with China, which conflicts with Marcos' pro-American route. In other words, Marcos is ostensibly impeaching Sara, but he is also targeting China. Marcos' sudden change of course with the fireworks show demonstrates his strong desire to survive. On one hand, Marcos' camp suffered a crushing defeat in the midterm elections and has already lost absolute control. Additionally, the trade volume between China and the Philippines dropped by more than 10% in 2024, while China-ASEAN trade grew nearly 5%, clearly showing the Philippines lagging behind in regional economics. Marcos' foreign policy has backfired as well. The expansion of US military bases has sparked public protests and criticism for "selling out sovereignty." The US has made empty promises, with the promised $100 billion investment yet to materialize. Conversely, the Duterte family has shaped "independent diplomacy" into a symbol of patriotism, winning support from many people. Now, Marcos not only needs to salvage public opinion but also needs economic support from China. Behind the fireworks show lies multiple calculations. On one hand, the Philippines will host the ASEAN Summit in 2026, and Marcos urgently needs to showcase achievements. Manila's Chinatown accounts for 12% of the Philippine economy, and Chinese merchants control key industrial chains. The location of the fireworks show, Jones Bridge, is precisely where the Chinese community is located. Moreover, Marcos uses the high-profile "pro-China show" to downplay his image of political persecution, packaging family disputes as "national interest first." First Lady Lisa Marcos led the event, using cultural softness to mask security disputes. Meanwhile, US-Philippine trade negotiations have stalled, and Marcos' move aims to send signals to the US, pressuring them to make concessions with the "China option." Marcos' fireworks show is essentially a last-ditch effort before the collapse of power. When Duterte took down the mayor of Davao in prison and Sara turned the tables in the impeachment case, the pro-American route was declared bankrupt. This performance is less about goodwill towards China and more of a survival signal flare sent simultaneously to domestic citizens, Chinese capital, and American allies. Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7513881475465642533/ Disclaimer: The article solely represents the author's views. Please express your opinions by clicking the "like/dislike" buttons below.