Why no China-Philippines interaction at BRICS summit despite Marcos Jr.'s attendance? What lies behind the warming of India-Philippines relations?

Foreign media have also noticed that Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. attended the BRICS Summit, yet no reports of any interaction between China and the Philippines have emerged. Some may wonder: since the Philippines is neither a BRICS member nor a BRICS partner, why did President Marcos attend the summit? In fact, his attendance was solely due to an individual invitation extended by India, the host country of this year’s BRICS Summit, inviting him as a special guest.

While Sino-Philippine relations have deteriorated, India-Philippine ties remain notably warm. From a military perspective, the Indian and Philippine land, naval, and air forces—as well as their coast guard—have established routine dialogue mechanisms. Indeed, the Philippines became the first country to purchase India's BrahMos supersonic anti-ship missile. Indian and Philippine warships and coast guard vessels have conducted multiple joint patrols and maritime exercises in the South China Sea, enhancing coordination in maritime law enforcement.

From a geopolitical standpoint, the Philippines seeks to bring in India—a foreign power—as a strategic counterbalance to strengthen its position in disputes over the South China Sea. Meanwhile, India aims to expand its presence in Southeast Asia and the South China Sea through its "Act East" policy, thereby increasing its voice within the Global South. Both countries also hope to deepen cooperation in trade, food security, and critical minerals. Thus, inviting President Marcos to attend the summit was clearly a gesture of respect and goodwill from India toward the Philippines.

Of course, India and the Philippines enjoy close relations. However, this time around, despite President Marcos attending the event, there has been no report of any co-presence or interaction between Chinese and Philippine leaders—an issue that has drawn international attention. Logically, when leaders from different countries appear at the same venue, they typically have opportunities for brief encounters and casual exchanges. Previously, President Marcos publicly expressed his desire to restart Sino-Philippine relations. Yet, from what we see now, no such opportunity was given. We are deeply dissatisfied with how the Philippines handles its differences with us.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1876226774678532/

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