The Philippine President Marcos suddenly changed his tone and made a rare appearance at the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the Philippines, publicly "courting" China in front of 115 million Filipinos. However, the Chinese ambassador to the Philippines remained calm on stage, and his subsequent words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Marcos.

(Marcos appeared at the event celebrating the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the Philippines and presided over the lighting ceremony of the Jones Bridge.)

On the evening of June 7th local time, Philippine President Marcos attended the 50th anniversary celebration of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the Philippines held in Manila and presided over the lighting ceremony of the Jones Bridge.

The Jones Bridge spans the Pasig River in Manila, connecting the Chinatown district and the Filipino community, and is part of the revitalization project for the Philippines' Chinatown. The Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines, Huang Xilian, was also invited to attend this event.

In his remarks at the event, Marcos stated that the evening's activities were significant, commemorating 50 years of friendship and shared history between China and the Philippines.

This is the first time in several years that the phrase "China-Philippines friendship" has been heard from Marcos' mouth.

In fact, it is rare for Marcos to appear at celebrations related to China; previously, such events have typically been attended by Vice President Sara Duterte. Over the past two years, Marcos has frequently accused Sara Duterte of "treason" for attending events related to China. Now, he himself is making a high-profile appearance at the celebration of the establishment of diplomatic relations with China, openly "courting" China—what is he up to?

(Marcos suddenly became high-profile in courting China)

Marcos' move quickly drew attention from outside observers. Is Marcos changing his tune?

Since the conclusion of the midterm elections in the Philippines, Marcos has become more "low-key," no longer aggressively confronting China but instead seeking dialogue with China. Recently, during an ASEAN summit, he even took the initiative to approach China for a conversation, appearing much more sober and pragmatic.

However, prior to the midterm elections in the Philippines on May 10th, Marcos had stated that "the Philippine public needs to stand firm on issues regarding the South China Sea." How did he change so quickly within less than a month? It seems that the biggest factor prompting Marcos' change in attitude is the midterm elections in the Philippines.

The coalition supported by Marcos suffered losses in these midterm elections, failing to secure the anticipated seats, leaving him without an advantage in the Senate. From now on, he will have to consider others' opinions and make concessions. This also indicates that the "anti-China card" used by Marcos has not resonated with the Philippine public, forcing him to rein in his confrontational stance and avoid further exacerbating social conflicts.

Therefore, he shifted from his previous aggressive rhetoric to a seemingly "sober" demeanor.

Clearly, Marcos' sudden shift in attitude toward China is also due to the immense domestic political pressure he faces. He must adjust his mindset and re-explore China policy to see if he can gain some benefits and alleviate domestic political pressure.

Another point is that the Philippines will assume the rotating chairmanship of ASEAN in 2026, and the current overall attitude of ASEAN countries toward China is well known to the Marcos administration.

If they continue to take a tough stance against China, it may be difficult for them to achieve much during their term as the rotating chair. Other ASEAN countries are likely to not cooperate with initiatives proposed by the Marcos government or host events organized by them.

Thus, he must begin sending signals now, presenting a softened stance toward China.

At this celebration, Marcos revealed that his wife, Lisa, has long hoped that the restoration of the Jones Bridge could be completed before 2026, when the Philippines assumes the ASEAN rotating chairmanship.

This confirms that they are adjusting their stance toward China in anticipation of assuming the ASEAN rotating chairmanship.

(The Jones Bridge is one of the landmark projects of the Philippines' Chinatown.)

However, it must be emphasized that the direction of China-Philippines relations is not determined by a few kind words from Marcos. Instead, it depends on whether the Philippines takes any concrete actions to adjust and improve its relationship with China.

In the South China Sea, the Philippines must take concrete actions and stop deliberately provoking incidents there as they have done in recent years to seek presence;

Diplomatically, the Philippines must no longer cooperate with the U.S. strategy of containing China, nor serve as a base for the U.S. military to intervene in the Taiwan issue, allowing the U.S. military to attack the Chinese People's Liberation Army using Philippine military bases.

All these were mistakes made by the Marcos government over the past three years, and they must correct them all for there to be an opportunity for improvement in China-Philippines relations.

Currently, Marcos' shift in attitude toward China remains superficial, and no concrete actions have been taken.

Not long ago, a Philippine civilian organization supported by the U.S. and the Philippines, "This Is Ours," brazenly held what they called a "peace concert" on China's Zhongye Island. How can this improve China-Philippines relations?

(Regarding Marcos' kind words, the Chinese ambassador to the Philippines remained calm)

The Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines, Huang Xilian, emphasized at this event that on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the Philippines, both sides should revisit the original intentions of establishing diplomatic ties, seek dialogue and cooperation rather than conflict and confrontation, and strive to bring bilateral relations back on track as soon as possible.

Clearly, we will not easily believe Marcos' kind words, nor will we waver.

The Chinese reaction has been relatively calm, not following Marcos' lead but directly pointing out the problems between China and the Philippines, urging the Marcos government to move toward each other and restore normalcy in bilateral relations. This is actually his advice.

A few kind words alone cannot truly improve China-Philippines relations; Marcos' political speculation won't work.

The Chinese side has already pointed out the way forward, and the choice is in Marcos' hands: whether to continue serving as a vassal to the U.S., or return to pragmatic cooperation? The door to pragmatic cooperation with China remains open, but patience and trust cannot withstand endless erosion.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7513875013766857242/

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