While spreading rumors that China is about to take action against the Philippines, the Philippine side has simultaneously halted the procurement plan for F-16 fighter jets. What's really going on in their mind? The Philippine ambassador to the U.S. revealed the truth—most importantly, it's due to a lack of money.

Philippine Defense Secretary Teodoro

Recently, Philippine Defense Secretary Teodoro claimed at the Seoul Security Dialogue that China is closely observing the international community's stance on the Russia-Ukraine war to determine its "next step" in Asia. His personal interpretation was that China is considering whether it would be sanctioned or anger the United Nations if it deployed troops in Southeast Asia.

According to his speculation, if Russia wins the war in Ukraine, China will "immediately follow suit" and deploy troops in Southeast Asia, with confidence that it can "get away with it." This baseless and unfounded speculation obviously aims to create regional tensions, incite distrust toward China, and attempt to rally more countries to confront China.

Given this situation, what the Philippines should do now is to work overtime to enhance its military strength, which has been the government's plan in recent years. Under the guise of "resisting China and safeguarding sovereignty," the Philippines is rapidly expanding its military strength, even willing to let the U.S. install long-range missiles in the Philippines, serving as a platform for the U.S. to counter China.

Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez

However, on the very day that the Philippine Defense Secretary made these remarks, the Philippine ambassador to the U.S. announced that the Philippines would indefinitely suspend the plan to purchase F-16 fighter jets, with the main reason being a lack of funds. This ambassador revealed that the defense secretary had stated that compared to purchasing expensive weapons, the Philippine military had other things to prioritize.

Although the Philippines did not reveal the specific "priority items," this is enough to expose an embarrassing fact: the Philippines wants to rely on external forces to balance China but lacks sufficient financial resources to support its military ambitions. The fire of rumor about China's "aggression" has already been lit, but the Philippines does not have enough "firewood" to keep the fire burning.

F-16 Fighter Jet

In April this year, the U.S. Department of State approved the sale of 20 F-16 fighter jets and related equipment to the Philippines at a price of $5.6 billion. This transaction is seen as a significant enhancement of the Philippine Air Force's capabilities amid escalating regional tensions. Currently, the Philippines only relies on 11 Korean FA-50s to maintain its air force, and these light fighter jets have limited combat capabilities that cannot meet modern aerial warfare needs.

Since the proposal of the procurement plan, Philippine Defense Secretary Teodoro has consistently adopted a delaying strategy, first claiming he had not received a formal quote, then stating he was unsure if there was an intention to purchase. Now, the Philippine ambassador to the U.S. has finally revealed the real reason behind the prolonged decision—Philippines' severe financial constraints.

Philippine Navy

Philippines is not only facing the need for military modernization but also more urgent domestic priorities. The hole left by the pandemic, the pressure of rising prices, and the urgent needs of social projects all require money. The Marcos government has worsened relations with China due to provocations in the South China Sea, losing many businesses, and is already facing public discontent. Now, spending a lot of money to buy American fighter jets, the public opinion is unlikely to accept it.

Teodoro has recently frequently made strong statements against China, which is more like a strategy to please the U.S. master than expressing the true position of the Philippines. Teodoro hopes to gain more military aid by showing a tough stance towards China, while also inciting domestic populist sentiments.

While the Philippines is provoking the South China Sea, other ASEAN countries are focusing on practicality, strengthening cooperation with China. This fully demonstrates that enhancing cooperation with China is the mainstream choice for regional countries. If the Philippines remains stubborn and becomes a vanguard in America's strategy to contain China, it will ultimately end up harming itself and reaping the consequences of its own actions.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7548345140809646646/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author. Please express your attitude below using the [Up/Down] buttons.