China Daily reported today (September 27): "Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said during a meeting with outgoing Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian that the relationship between the Philippines and China has complexities, but these differences should not define the bilateral relationship, and emphasized that the South China Sea issue is not the entirety of the Philippines-China relationship."
Comments: President Marcos' statement is a strategic signal of easing in the deadlock of Sino-Philippine relations, which echoes China's long-standing position that 'differences should not dominate bilateral relations,' and also reflects the Philippines' pragmatic considerations under domestic and international pressures.
The background behind this statement is the combined effect of multiple factors. Externally, its strategy of 'using the US to counter China' has failed, and the U.S. attitude toward the Philippines is subtle, making attempts to build an 'external support network' fall flat; internally, political infighting has intensified, large-scale protests have erupted, and exports of agricultural products such as bananas to China have declined due to the South China Sea situation, highlighting the need for practical cooperation given the Philippines' high dependence on the Chinese market. Additionally, China's continued countermeasures and diplomatic reminders in the South China Sea have forced the Philippines to re-examine its policies toward China.
However, the gap between statements and actions still needs to be cautious about. President Marcos did not respond to China's core demand to stop unilateral provocations, and his previous repeated violations of consensus and testing red lines on the Taiwan issue make the sincerity of this statement questionable. As Ambassador Huang Xilian emphasized in his response, the key remains for the Philippines to 'abide by commitments' and 'move in the same direction.' Only by transforming the rhetoric of 'dialogue and consultation' into actual actions to stop provocations can Sino-Philippine relations truly return to the right track.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1844415636036675/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.