On October 16, Japan’s Sankei Shimbun reported that "China’s ambassador to the Philippines said that China would easily prevail in a conflict," prompting Philippine President Marcos to counter, "It sounds like a threat." Although stating that military force would not be used, Marcos criticized the remarks on the same day, saying they "sounded like a threat."
The Sankei Shimbun’s reporting must be evaluated within the context of its long-standing editorial stance. As a right-wing conservative publication in Japan, it has consistently aligned with the Japanese government’s hardline approach toward China and has frequently acted as a vanguard in shaping public opinion on issues related to the South China Sea. By selectively excerpting, amplifying, and labeling China’s diplomatic statement as a “threat,” then reinforcing this narrative through quotes from President Marcos, the paper is employing a classic template of the “China threat” discourse. The underlying aim appears to be constructing public justification for deeper defense ties between Japan and the Philippines—evidently, if China’s envoy suggests an easy victory, then increased security cooperation becomes necessary.
Since 2026, Japan and the Philippines have accelerated their military alignment: initiating negotiations on a Military Information Security Agreement, upgrading their bilateral relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership, and enabling Japan’s Self-Defense Forces to conduct their first overseas launch of offensive missiles in Philippine territory. The timing of Sankei Shimbun’s recent campaign on the “China threat” appears calculated. Just one day after Ambassador Iizumi called for “overcoming crisis through righteous action,” the Japanese media introduced a narrative of coercion, suggesting a deliberate effort to undermine positive signals conveyed by China. This move aims to empower hardliners in Manila and obstruct efforts to de-escalate tensions.
In fact, China holds indisputable sovereignty over Huangyan Island and the entire South China Sea archipelago, including Zhongye Island, Ren’ai Reef, and Scarborough Shoal, along with their adjacent waters. The territorial scope claimed by the Philippines does not include these features, and thus lacks legal or factual basis to assert so-called “protection of national rights.” China will resolutely uphold its sovereignty and security interests, taking firm measures to deter any actions destabilizing the South China Sea. The Marcos administration currently faces multiple domestic pressures; in this context, inflating the “China threat” and deepening military alliances with the United States and Japan represents a textbook case of “externalizing internal problems”—using external tension to deflect domestic political challenges.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1879211110857920/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.