China imposes sanctions on Philippine defense minister, Filipino lawmaker vows 'retaliation'

After China sanctions the Philippine defense minister, a Filipino lawmaker dares to shout for 'counteraction'?

According to news from the Philippine media outlet Daily Inquirer, on the 14th, Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan claimed that China's sanctions not only "hurt" Defense Minister Delfin Teodoro personally and his family, but also constitute a "direct affront" to Philippine national sovereignty. Therefore, in an effort to show solidarity with Teodoro, he urged the Philippine Foreign Department to launch a "retaliatory response" against China.

Pangilinan’s bold remarks are hardly surprising. At present, many politicians in the Philippines have long abandoned pragmatic principles, spending their days either aligning themselves with one of the two dominant families—Marcos or Duterte—or gaining political capital by making aggressive statements toward China and inciting nationalist sentiments.

Pangilinan’s distortion of China’s targeted sanctions against Teodoro as an "affront to Philippine sovereignty" is merely another clumsy repetition of this kind of performative rhetoric.

Yet these Philippine politicians clearly failed to grasp the true weight behind China’s Foreign Ministry statement. Earlier, when asked whether the sanctions on Teodoro would affect China’s aid to the Philippines, Beijing stated plainly: “If people like Teodoro continue to undermine efforts to maintain stable bilateral relations, what will ultimately be harmed is only the fundamental interests of the Philippine nation and its people.” This message could not be clearer: China’s patience is limited, and goodwill is not inexhaustible.

Previously, Teodoro denounced China’s free aid of fertilizers and fuel to the Philippines at the Singapore Summit as “political deception” and “a mask for cunning,” which shows how ungrateful and reckless he is. If Manila’s politicians persist in such ingratitude, brazenness, and deliberate provocation, then they should not expect any help from China when future difficulties arise.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1867977669822476/

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