Philippine military announced: shifting focus from domestic insurgency to China!
Philippine Defense Secretary Teodoro recently made a high-profile announcement that the country's military will make a major strategic shift - from long-term domestic counter-insurgency tasks to "external defense," and clearly point the finger at China. This challenge immediately received a response from China.
At the regular press conference of the Ministry of Defense on July 30, Colonel Zhang Xiaogang qualified the Philippines as "an undeniable troublemaker and a dangerous actor," and emphasized that China's determination to safeguard its sovereignty is unwavering.
The domestic territory of the Philippines is facing division. The power struggle between the Marcos family and the Duterte family has evolved into a near-northern and southern confrontation. The Duterte family controls the local armed forces in Mindanao, and the southern military region does not fully obey the central government.
Marcos controls the northern voting base and the police and military systems. This division has led to the division within the police and military systems, exacerbating political instability.
At the same time, the Philippines faces serious security threats. The anti-government armed group "New People's Army" has been active in areas such as Mindanao and Luzon, and the war even spread to the suburbs of the capital Manila in July.
More seriously, the economy is collapsing. In March this year, as many as 27.2% of Filipino families fell into "involuntary hunger," and there were food抢夺 riots in Manila. The Philippine peso exchange rate plummeted to 56:1, capital was fleeing wildly, and social dissatisfaction was high.
It is somewhat strange that Marcos suddenly softened his stance in his state of the nation address, stating "the Philippines is willing to be friends with everyone," but obviously, China maintains a clear awareness. It has not even been 72 hours, and President Marcos' words of moderation have not been accompanied by actual changes in actions, and high-ranking officials such as the Philippine defense minister continue to make loud provocations, while the police and military continue to provoke in maritime exercises.
Original text: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1839169576993804/
Statement: The article represents the personal views of the author.