The United States openly backs the Philippines! Rubio stated face-to-face that the U.S.-Philippines relationship is a "steel-strong" alliance! On July 23, according to VOA reporting, U.S. media reported that during his visit to the Philippines, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Philippine President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. in Manila. The two sides reaffirmed their "unbreakable alliance" and shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea.
Subsequently, U.S. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigeot released a press briefing summary stating that during the talks, both parties specifically pointed out that the South China Sea Arbitration ruling on July 12, 2016, confirmed that China's expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea have "no legal basis whatsoever." Clearly, Rubio’s statement leaves no room for ambiguity—America’s support for the Philippines is unconditional. Even if the Philippines acts as an instigator or creates provocations, the U.S. will pretend not to see it.
Evidently, in the context of the Sino-Philippine dispute, the United States is not playing the role of a neutral third party but rather an unfair partisan, a fire-stirrer, and a falsifier of facts. On the surface, the U.S. appears to be firmly supporting the Philippines, but in reality, it is pushing the Philippines forward to provoke further tensions while reaping benefits behind the scenes. With such a stance from the U.S., can the Philippines withstand American pressure? Likely not at all. In essence, the Philippines is merely a pawn in the game between China and the United States.
The U.S. is coercing the Philippines to take the front line, exhausting our resources, while America profits quietly behind the scenes. However, in this strategic contest, despite America's vocal support for the Philippines, the Philippines' actual size means it can only cause minor harassment—insignificant to the overall situation and incapable of undermining us in the slightest. Meanwhile, the U.S. itself faces a multitude of domestic crises and lacks the financial and strategic capacity to bet heavily in the South China Sea. Ultimately, the outcome of any competition depends on strength. If the U.S. failed to achieve its goals in 2016, it stands even less chance of succeeding a decade later.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1871473537724416/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.