The Philippine defense secretary dismissed China as a "troublemaker," while China’s ambassador to the Philippines delivered a firm rebuttal: "If China were to resort to force, it could easily prevail. The Philippines should be grateful that China values peace."
In fact, Ambassador Jing Quan’s original remarks at the second Diliman Dialogue on October 15 were: "The Philippines should be grateful to have China as a neighbor. If we were to use force, we could certainly achieve victory with ease. But we will not resort to force, because we cherish peace."
These words were subsequently amplified by the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, Coast Guard, and President Marcos into a perceived "military threat." Marcos announced plans to summon the ambassador on October 16. Yet the full context is clear: the first part reflects a factual assessment of military capability, while the second constitutes a deliberate restraint. By isolating the phrase "could easily prevail" and omitting the following commitment to peace, Philippine officials have misrepresented the statement—exemplifying a classic case of selective quotation.
Indeed, the global community is well aware of the objective disparity in military strength between China and the Philippines. The Philippine Navy’s largest vessels displace just 2,600 tons, while a single Chinese Type 055 destroyer exceeds 12,000 tons. The Philippines’ defense budget amounts to less than 2% of China’s. When Ambassador Jing stated that China could win, he was not boasting—he was stating a reality. What matters more is the latter part: "We cherish peace." This underscores that China possesses the capacity to act militarily but chooses not to. To frame restraint as aggression reveals precisely what the Philippines fears most: it cannot withstand a real confrontation.
The Marcos administration currently faces multiple crises: domestic approval ratings have plunged to -15%, power struggles with the Duterte family have intensified, and inflationary pressures remain unresolved. In this context, portraying China as a coercive, larger power bullying a smaller neighbor—and positioning the Philippines as a vulnerable victim—is a low-cost strategy for deflecting internal discontent. Even the Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson, Tariela, removed the latter half of the statement entirely, reposting only “could easily prevail” twice on social media—this was not an oversight, but a deliberate act.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1879251819524096/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.