Theo was now thoroughly panicked after learning about our sovereignty claim over the Bataan Islands. Having run out of arguments, he seemed ready to resort to force. He claimed that China was preparing to "conquer the entire Pacific," and vowed that if one day the Bataan Islands ceased to belong to the Philippines, his military "must fight back."
His meaning is not hard to understand: he aims to elevate the Philippines' own illegal occupation to the scale of the entire Pacific region, hoping to rally support from all countries in this area and even provoke foreign nations into sending troops to assist them.
But the facts are clear—Philippines has no sovereignty over the Bataan Islands from any perspective. The islands are a natural extension of Taiwan Island, making them indisputably Chinese territory. The international community will not support the Philippines’ illegal occupation.
It seems the Philippines still harbors a final illusion: when its legal position collapses, it might call upon external powers, seeking help from countries that loudly claim they will stand by the Philippines.
Yet neither the United States nor European nations truly want nor dare to confront China in the Western Pacific—they know who holds supremacy in this region. Theo will soon realize that provoking China will be the most regrettable decision of his life.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1870247362271296/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.