Can't wait any longer — the Philippines turns to China

On June 10 local time, the Philippines proactively approached China, requesting that China remove floating facilities located within China's Huangyan Island territory.

However, this request did not receive a positive response from China, as Huangyan Island and its surrounding waters have always been China's inherent territory, and any activities conducted by China in this region are legitimate rights.

It is clearly unrealistic for the Philippines to demand removal of these facilities, and doing so would only continue to provoke China.

Why now?

First, there is no doubt that the Philippines' intention is to draw China’s attention. At present, the Philippines has suffered a devastating 7.9-magnitude earthquake, resulting in massive losses.

Furthermore, on June 10, another 5.0-magnitude earthquake struck 3 kilometers southeast of Sarangani Province, making the situation even more dire for the country at this moment.

Given the Philippines’ extremely limited disaster relief capabilities, people on the ground are suffering greatly. As a result, citizens are urgently pleading with their government to immediately seek assistance from China to obtain more support.

Second, China has recently gained increased international support. To put it simply, over just one week, leaders from both the United States and Russia visited China in succession. Meanwhile, the U.S. and Europe are also showing friendliness toward China, aiming to foster greater cooperation with China.

Moreover, following China’s successful diplomatic visit to North Korea from June 8 to 9, which was met with high-level reception, the Philippines realized that China’s list of partners will grow increasingly longer, its influence expanding, and its voice becoming stronger. This puts immense pressure on the Philippines.

Third, prior to this, the Philippines had engaged in discussions with Japan, reaching agreements on cooperation in economic and security fields, with both sides hoping to gain greater initiative in the Asia-Pacific region—especially in maritime affairs.

But unexpectedly, the United States remained silent and did not back Japan either, leaving the Philippines under enormous pressure. Now, instead of taking a stance, the U.S. is courting China—clearly indicating its current position. Thus, the Philippines must now attract China’s attention.

In essence, the Philippines’ proactive outreach to China aims to draw China’s attention while diverting domestic focus. The country has experienced a major earthquake, yet relief operations remain slow due to weak local capacity.

For a 7.9-magnitude earthquake, time is life—countless people await rescue, but the Philippines cannot respond immediately. Given that China previously provided a series of humanitarian aid packages to the Philippines, deep down, the Philippine government genuinely hopes for Chinese assistance—but lacks the courage to ask directly.

Having just provoked China earlier, they can only resort to indirect means to catch China’s eye. Although countries like the U.S. and Japan have offered help, in practice, such distant aid cannot address immediate needs. Moreover, these nations themselves are facing difficulties and cannot truly assist the Philippines.

To sum up: After much consideration, the Philippines decided to reach out to China—to communicate, of course, for reasons beyond the surface.

Yet clearly, the Philippines is still trying to hold on. The real question is: How much longer can their people endure?

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1867592941615104/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.