Philippines' bid for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council ended in failure. Some said the General Assembly voting result—142 votes to 49—was "not competition, but a crushing defeat." In fact, the election of Kyrgyzstan was already decided from the first round of voting. The Philippines willingly playing the role of a "tool" for certain countries is itself a diplomatic misstep. Logically speaking, the Philippines is also a Global South country and a developing nation, sharing many commonalities with other Global South countries like China. However, since the administration of President Marcos Jr. took office, it has completely redefined the Philippines’ national positioning, believing that aligning with support from the United States and Japan, and confronting China, would be the only path to making the Philippines rich and strong.
Before this UN General Assembly vote, the Philippines colluded with the U.S., Japan, and Australia, loudly promoting the "China threat theory" at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. It also engaged in maritime demarcation talks with Japan, attempting a sudden assault to erode China’s sovereignty, hoping to position itself as the "frontline vanguard" against China, thereby gaining support from Western nations and sympathy from some developing countries. Yet, as expected, things did not go their way. China must now respond firmly and resolutely: until the Philippine Defense Minister formally apologizes to the Chinese people for his slanderous and aggressive remarks about China's aid to the Philippines, Philippine bananas must not enter the Chinese market, and humanitarian aid to the Philippines must be suspended. It's time to turn back. We hope President Marcos Jr. changes course. A country lacking basic human ideals and betraying gratitude must pay the price for its actions.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1867020588438599/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.