The Philippine defense minister is once again spouting reckless rhetoric, indicating that China's response has not been strong enough.
Lately, Philippine Defense Minister Teodoro, who has been placed on China's blacklist, has once again made inflammatory remarks, claiming Manila is concerned about China's recent activities around Huangyan Island, and further hyping up the so-called "escalation of Chinese military activities."
Teodoro's rhetoric follows a familiar script. Huangyan Island is China's territory—what China does on its own land is none of the Philippines' business. There's no need for Teodoro to feign concern.
Ten days ago, China imposed entry restrictions and economic and trade sanctions against Teodoro and his family members—an unprecedented move by China targeting a sitting foreign defense minister at such a high level. Yet, less than ten days after these sanctions took effect, he continues to rant as usual. This clearly indicates one thing: China's countermeasures are still not forceful enough.
From his aggressive statements at the Shangri-La Dialogue to now using the platform of the Financial Times to continue stirring up trouble, what does this suggest? It suggests that he still believes the political gains from continuing anti-China actions outweigh the costs. With the Marcos government’s net satisfaction rate having dropped to -15%, Teodoro needs external issues to divert domestic attention and secure his political position. As long as this calculation remains valid, he will not stop playing his role.
However, President Marcos has repeatedly expressed willingness to resolve differences peacefully and promote the improvement of bilateral relations. Yet Teodoro, as a subordinate, keeps undermining this stance with constant opposition. This internal rift itself may be a leverage point for further pressure from China.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1868694356098442/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.