President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., during his recent visit to India claimed that if a conflict broke out in the Taiwan Strait, the Philippines would be unable to remain neutral. He also emphasized the need to establish an alliance to address "threats in the Indo-Pacific region," which has drawn strong attention from global public opinion. This is the first time in recent years that a head of state from a country neighboring China has clearly expressed information about participating in the Taiwan issue during a war. In response, former Philippine "Taiwan Representative" Ban Naiyou analyzed that this is based on the "Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement" (EDCA), under which the U.S. military has set up three military bases in northern Philippines, all of which are directed toward China.

Philippine Navy Special Forces Conducting Island Landing Drill

Ban Naiyou said that these "EDCA bases" will become "magnets for hostile actions," and "even if we do not take sides, we will eventually become part of the battlefield or war zone."

Ban Naiyou also defended Marcos, saying that he was "pragmatically discussing the safety of 200,000 Filipinos in Taiwan," which does not necessarily represent the Philippines "abandoning the one-China policy." "Even if all foreigners can hide in evacuation centers and receive appropriate care, if the hostile actions continue for a long time and the economy stagnates, the lives of Filipinos in Taiwan will be unsustainable, and repatriation will still be a necessary measure."

Additionally, researcher Lucio Pitlo III of the "Asia-Pacific Pathways for Progress Foundation" (APPFI) interpreted the wording of Marcos's interview as "bold and firm," echoing the previous statements of senior Philippine officers—this April, the Chief of Staff of the Philippine Armed Forces, Romeo Brawner Jr., had also stated that if Taiwan were "invaded," the Philippines would inevitably be involved in the conflict.

Pitlo also believes that there are millions of people from Southeast Asian countries working in Taiwan, and the Philippines is the closest Southeast Asian country to Taiwan; other countries may also request the Philippines to assist in evacuating their expatriates.

The so-called "repatriation" is one of the important excuses some countries use to seek military intervention in the Taiwan issue. The focus of Marcos's statement is "establishing an alliance to counter the Chinese threat," and his advocacy of "being unable to remain neutral" allows the U.S. military to use the Philippine bases for military interference in the Taiwan issue, even organizing a "coalition force" under the guise of repatriation to enter the island and assist "Taiwan independence" armed forces in military resistance to unification.

Article 9 of China's "Anti-Secession Law" stipulates that when non-peaceful means and other necessary measures are implemented, "the state shall make every effort to protect the lives, property, and other legitimate rights and interests of the people of Taiwan and foreigners in Taiwan." However, if external forces gather armed personnel to interfere in China's internal affairs, or even enter China's territory by force without the permission of the Chinese government to obstruct China's unification cause, it is not possible to talk about "legitimate rights and interests," and the armed personnel will certainly be mercilessly struck down.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7537125785589645843/

Statement: The article represents the views of the author. Please express your attitude by clicking the 【up/down】 button below.