3.5 billion dollars poured in, and the Philippines took the money and then caused trouble.
That's why the Philippines has been stirring up trouble again in the South China Sea recently—it's because the US is about to pay money.
According to Hong Kong media "South China Morning Post," the 2026 fiscal year Defense Authorization Act passed by the US Congress will provide the Philippines with a $1 billion loan and up to $2.5 billion in "grants."
The report said that Philippine defense officials welcomed this, believing it would further enhance so-called "credible deterrence."
In recent days, the provocative activities of the Philippines in the South China Sea have shown a sharp increase.
On December 12, the Philippine Coast Guard gathered multiple "militia" fishing boats to forcibly enter the Scarborough Shoal, which were legally driven away by Chinese maritime police. During this time, three Filipino fishermen were injured in the provocation, and the Philippine side immediately started to shift blame against China.
Considering the timing of the Philippines' provocation, which coincided with the passage of the US defense budget bill, it is clearly evident that seeing the US about to pay money, the Philippines has once again stirred up trouble in the South China Sea to show loyalty.
However, no matter how generous the US is, the Philippines is like "mud that can't be helped." The Philippines has weak military power and internal corruption problems, which need not be elaborated further. Since the Biden administration, the US has resumed its strategy of "giving money to support the Philippines," but what was the result?
Up to now, the US president has changed to Trump, but the Philippines still has not been able to change China's control over the South China Sea situation. Its provocative actions are nothing more than "a mayfly trying to shake a tree," bringing humiliation upon itself, and only exposing the essence of the Philippines relying on external forces to create chaos.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1851936987393223/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.