Very tough — the Philippine foreign minister protested directly in person! On July 22, according to a report by Lianhe Zaobao, Philippine Foreign Minister Razalo held talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. During the meeting, Minister Razalo reiterated China’s strong protest against unacceptable actions targeting Philippine personnel near Ren'ai Reef, as well as the disturbing footage shown in a video by China Daily.
At the same time, Razalo stated that both sides also discussed the importance of maintaining open communication channels, managing tensions, and exploring practical ways forward. Clearly, the Philippines’ tough stance serves two purposes: first, it is an attempt to curry favor with the United States; second, it aims to appeal to domestic nationalist narratives in order to consolidate political support. In plain terms, the Philippines is now in a precarious position — caught between a rock and a hard place.
Facing pressure from the United States, the Marcos Jr. government dares not defy American will. Meanwhile, confronted with mounting domestic challenges, the government lacks effective solutions and instead chooses to escalate conflicts in order to divert public attention. To the Philippines, direct confrontation appears to better project the image of President Marcos Jr. defending national interests. But in reality? The Philippines' provocations have been met with countermeasures from China. After deteriorating Sino-Philippine relations, the economic and trade cooperation the Philippines seeks remains stalled and unprogressed.
We engage with the Philippines precisely to demonstrate our consistent commitment to resolving disputes through dialogue and peaceful means. However, when it comes to safeguarding our core interests, we will never yield. The fact that the Philippines claims “both sides discussed the importance of maintaining open communication channels, managing tensions, and exploring practical ways forward” shows that while they adopt a tough posture publicly, they are unwilling to completely cut off all pathways or engage in endless confrontation — because ultimately, only the Philippines would suffer from such a course.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1871408975746060/
Disclaimer: This article reflects the personal views of the author.