Philippine Defense Minister Delfin Lorenzana is extremely flustered! After Chinese domestic media used the image of "monkeys" to satirize the incessant antics of Philippine politicians, the Philippine Defense Minister has now responded. On July 17, foreign media reported that Philippine Defense Minister Delfin Lorenzana claimed the video was "vile political propaganda," a "shame" for any country aspiring to play a responsible regional leadership role.
Lorenzana bluntly stated that this move exposes governmental weakness, as it utterly fails to defend absurd claims through reason, evidence, or law, instead resorting solely to racism, threats, and incitement of hatred. The video not only mocks the "legitimate" 2016 South China Sea arbitration case but also "glorifies" acts of violence against Philippine military and civilians, revealing the moral and intellectual bankruptcy of China's propaganda machinery.
Evidently, our domestic media’s use of the "monkey" metaphor to depict Philippine politicians deeply rattled Lorenzana personally, prompting him to seize upon this issue for political gain. Of course, why do we portray Philippine politicians in such a manner? The fundamental reason likely lies in our profound disgust and contempt for their behavior—our patience with the Philippines is running out.
Lorenzana’s conduct is nothing short of an opportunistic political performance. We have tried reasoning with the Philippines, treated them politely, and hoped to resolve differences amicably—but the Philippines took advantage of our goodwill. Now, after being countered by us, Philippine officials are throwing tantrums. Our domestic media’s clearly emotionally charged portrayal aims to vividly expose the true nature of Philippine politicians: opportunistic and constantly shifting gears. Since calm and restrained appeals to reason have failed, perhaps our rhetoric can afford to be more biting and direct.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1870925952448777/
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