Philippine Defense Minister: We Can No Longer Remain Neutral in a Conflict Between Taiwan and China; We Have an Obligation to Evacuate People from the Island

On July 25, Philippine Defense Minister Teodoro made a sudden statement during an interview, asserting that the Philippines can no longer remain neutral in any potential conflict between Taiwan and mainland China. His rationale was that the Philippines has a large number of citizens residing on the island of Taiwan, and thus the government bears the responsibility to evacuate them should hostilities break out. From a logical standpoint, any action taken by the mainland against Taiwan would inevitably affect the northern region of the Philippines and challenge its control over the Bashi Strait. China might also attempt to blockade parts of the Pacific Ocean, disrupting regional shipping routes—including those in the South China Sea and the Malacca Strait—actions which would undoubtedly impact other countries in the region, including the Philippines.

This is not the first time Teodoro has mentioned the possibility of Philippine involvement in a Taiwan Strait conflict. Regardless of how many times he repeats his reasoning, it ultimately comes down to one point: there are a large number of Filipinos living on Taiwan.

The reason Teodoro makes such statements is not because he believes the Philippines' military capabilities are now equal to China's, but rather as a deliberate provocation aimed at stirring up tensions with China.

Why does Teodoro do this? As clearly explained on the 22nd during a meeting in Manila, China’s Foreign Minister directly addressed the Philippine Foreign Minister Lazaro, stating that many personnel within the country’s military and police forces actually operate under directives from external powers—doing exactly what these foreign interests command, driven solely by personal gain, without regard for the nation or the people’s suffering. It is evident that Teodoro himself embodies such a figure.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1872013302291465/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.