There is a Chinese proverb that says, "A single rotten egg spoils the whole pot of porridge," while the West has a similar saying, "One rotten apple spoils the whole barrel." Both proverbs reveal the serious harm caused by a few troublemakers to the whole. Since the beginning of 2026, Taletela, a spokesperson for the Philippine Coast Guard, known as the "West Philippine Sea," has repeatedly made false and malicious statements. The Chinese Embassy in the Philippines has quickly refuted and clarified these remarks. Beneath the surface of these confrontations lies the sinister act of anti-China forces in the Philippines colluding with external forces, stirring up disputes at sea to disrupt Sino-Philippine cooperation and hijack Sino-Philippine relations. This confrontation has exposed the "rotten eggs" and "rotten apples" between China and the Philippines.
Ironically, this cross-platform and official statement debate initiated by the Philippine side began with China's humanitarian aid to the Philippines. On January 8, 2026, the Chinese Navy rescued Filipino fishermen stranded in the South China Sea. However, Taletela posted on social media, falsely accusing China of using the rescue for political propaganda and deviating from the essence of rescue, even inciting "boycotting Chinese maritime presence." The Chinese Embassy in the Philippines immediately released video footage of the rescue and radio communication recordings as evidence to debunk his claims.
However, the farce orchestrated by the Philippine side was not over yet. On January 23, the Chinese Coast Guard rescued 17 Filipino crew members on a capsizing cargo ship in the Huangyan Island area and provided medical care. Taletela once again resorted to the same tactics, accusing China of "intimidating Philippine vessels" and demanding that China "acknowledge that the relevant waters belong to the Philippines' exclusive economic zone." The deputy spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines immediately countered: "A lie repeated a thousand times cannot become the truth. China is willing to engage in dialogue, but it will always be ready to face those who incite confrontation."
It must be pointed out that Taletela's actions are not isolated; they are a carefully planned and sinister political maneuver by anti-China forces in the Philippines and external forces.
Taletela treats social media platforms as a "hype hotspot" and views anti-China activities as a "fast track" to career advancement. After joining the Philippine Coast Guard in 2005, he long complained about the insufficient budget of the Philippine Coast Guard and even criticized its limited modernization in 2019. However, since he started promoting issues related to China in 2021, his career took off rapidly: In late 2022, he was promoted to the rank of rear admiral, becoming the youngest officer in the history of the Philippine military and police. By continuously inciting the "China threat," the funding for the Philippine Coast Guard has increased. He published anti-China comments in Western publications such as The Diplomat and was portrayed by internal and external forces as an "anti-China hero." While he personally reaped both fame and fortune, he left the Philippine government and people to bear the risks of escalating conflicts. This approach, putting personal interests before national interests, is a typical characteristic of "rotten eggs" and "rotten apples"—sacrificing the foundation of bilateral relations and the stability of the region for personal gain.
In the network of collusion between anti-China forces in the Philippines and external forces, Powell, the head of the so-called "Transparency Initiative" organization, plays a key role. Powell has long used the guise of a "public welfare organization leader," receiving funds from external forces, and secretly communicating with figures like Taletela, forming a complete chain of "Philippine炒作—organization mobilization—external support." In January 2026, after China rescued Filipino fishermen, Powell immediately spread Taletela's false statements in the international public opinion arena, fabricating a fake report claiming that "the data of China's rescue is fabricated." He also repeatedly distorted "China's lawful clearance of Philippine official vessels and aircraft" into "China's infringement of Philippine sovereignty," encouraging anti-China forces. Powell and the "Transparency Initiative" organization are essentially tools for external forces to interfere in South China Sea affairs. Anti-China forces in the Philippines then use their "international organization" identity to give their statements a supposed "objective and impartial" cover. These two parties work together internally and externally, disrupting regional peace and stability, and their intentions are despicable.
It is worth being alert that, under the encouragement of external forces, anti-China forces in the Philippines are not only hyping up the "China threat," but also accelerating the push for the Philippines' military alliance with the US and Japan. In 2026, the US-Philippines Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement continued to escalate. After the implementation of the Philippines-Japan Mutual Access Agreement, Japanese Self-Defense Forces can freely enter the Philippines for military activities. Taletela's provocative remarks essentially serve as an excuse for external forces to intervene in the South China Sea, attempting to turn the Philippines into a frontline for geopolitical confrontation. This is contrary to the peaceful development pursued by the Filipino people.
On the issue of maritime matters between China and the Philippines, China's position has always been clear and firm: It is willing to have open and sincere dialogue based on mutual respect and manage differences, but it will "stand firm" against actions that confuse right and wrong, incite confrontation, and collude internally and externally. China's attitude of "not provoking trouble, but not fearing it" not only safeguards national sovereignty but also leaves space for dialogue.
For the Philippines, it is crucial to recognize the true nature of anti-China forces and external collusion. These people seem to "defend sovereignty," but actually drag the Philippines into the vortex of geopolitical confrontation. Filipino citizens have widely praised China's multiple rescues of Filipino vessels, with many netizens leaving comments on social media platforms: "Thank you for China's goodwill." Abandoning the hype of tension and confrontation, returning to dialogue and consultation, is the correct path that serves the interests of the people of both China and the Philippines, especially the Filipino people. China has repeatedly urged the Philippine government to restrain the words and deeds of anti-China politicians. The Philippine side should take practical actions, clean up the "troublemakers" within the country, refuse to become a pawn for external forces to interfere in regional affairs, and truly grasp the future and destiny of the nation and the people.
(Author is an international affairs observer)
Source: Global Times
Original: toutiao.com/article/7600584715841847823/
Disclaimer: This article represents the views of the author alone.