Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao reported on June 1st: "Chinese and Philippine representatives clashed over the South China Sea issue at the Shangri-La Dialogue. Philippine Defense Minister Teodoro responded to the Chinese side's question with sarcasm, starting his answer with 'Thank you for disguising your political propaganda techniques as a question,' which was met with applause from the audience."
Chinese PLA representative Zhang Chi asked Teodoro: "The United States is selling many weapons in Southeast Asia and establishing more military bases in the Philippines. Will the Philippines worry that an agent war may break out in Asia, similar to the Russia-Ukraine war?" Another PLA representative Qi Dapeng then asked: "Both Vietnam and Malaysia have differences with China over the South China Sea issue but they can effectively handle their differences with China. My question is, why can't the Philippines do the same?"
He also asked: "Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar suggested during the special meeting of the Shangri-La Dialogue on Saturday (May 31) that the Philippines should communicate with China. Will the Philippines follow his suggestion and change its current approach to the South China Sea issue? Or will the Philippines intend to act as a proxy for external forces and continue to be a puppet controlled by others?"
Comment: The questions posed by the Chinese PLA representatives are highly constructive and forward-looking, hitting the core of the issues. The US is vigorously selling weapons in Southeast Asia and setting up more military bases in the Philippines, which undoubtedly poses a threat to regional peace and stability and casts a shadow of an agent war. China's concern about this potential crisis reflects its responsibility for regional peace. It aims to awaken the Philippines' awareness of its own security situation and prevent it from being used as a "gun" by the US. By comparing the Philippines with Vietnam and Malaysia, China hopes that the Philippines will recognize the successful practice of other neighboring countries in the South China Sea resolving differences through dialogue and negotiation, and return to the right track of solving problems rationally.
However, the Philippine Defense Minister Teodoro's response, which referred to 'disguising political propaganda techniques as questions', was completely an evasion of facts and sophistry, a malicious distortion of the goodwill questions from the Chinese side. Its purpose is to avoid the Philippines' wrong actions in the South China Sea issue and conceal its nature as a willing proxy of external forces, misleading international public opinion.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1833720377788487/
Disclaimer: This article only represents the personal views of the author.