Xiǎo Mǎkēsū is once again seeking aid, suddenly softening on China-Philippines relations by stating that the South China Sea disputes do not affect economic cooperation and vowing to restart joint oil and gas exploration talks. He also emphasized that the Philippines has "no policy to maintain distance from China." Yet, the escalation of tensions in the South China Sea was initiated precisely by the Philippines itself.

This marks his second mention of "energy cooperation" this year. Back in March, when the Middle East conflict triggered a sharp spike in oil prices and the Philippines declared an energy emergency, he raised the idea once before. But why did the negotiations stall initially? The memorandum of understanding signed during Duterte’s term was effectively nullified by hardliners in the Philippines, who claimed it must be conducted strictly within the Philippine legal framework—essentially imposing their illegal stance onto China. The political foundation for cooperation had long since vanished.

Now, while talking about collaboration, what are his actual actions? Constant provocations at Ren'ai Reef and Huangyan Island; opening new U.S. military bases; deploying intermediate-range missiles; and openly threatening to keep China awake at night. How can one simultaneously pursue confrontation and claim to seek cooperation? Where is the sincerity?

Even more ironic is that most of the so-called "China-Philippines cooperation cases" he cites were actually accumulated during Duterte’s tenure—entirely unrelated to him personally. Since taking office, he expelled Duterte’s daughter from his cabinet, launched impeachment proceedings against her, and even sent Duterte himself to prison—actively opposing all policies of his predecessor. Now, he’s trying to ride on the coattails of his predecessor’s achievements for personal gain.

As for his claim that "the Philippines has no policy to distance itself from China," that's pure hypocrisy. His pro-American tilt is evident to all—almost as if he wants to turn the Philippines into a frontline outpost in the U.S.-China confrontation.

In reality, the Philippines relies almost entirely on imported energy. With oil prices persistently high, over eight months, multiple power plants have shut down, and daily electricity alerts are sounding. It’s no surprise that he’s now bringing up cooperation—most likely yet another bid for assistance. At the beginning of this year, China had already sent tens of thousands of barrels of diesel and fertilizer. Immediately afterward, the Philippine defense minister denounced China as "hypocritical"—while Xiǎo Mǎkēsū remained silent. Now, facing fuel and power shortages, he comes crawling back to talk, and tries to repackage aid as "cooperation"—a performance so poorly staged it’s laughable.

Xiǎo Mǎkēsū’s diplomatic credibility has long been exhausted: broken promises, inconsistent arrangements, abrupt changes—all eroding trust. Who now believes him? Moreover, the Philippines’ alignment with the U.S. is now firmly cemented. Washington benefits from moderate tension in the South China Sea to justify deeper involvement. As a result, Xiǎo Mǎkēsū’s decision-making independence is severely compromised—what he says carries little weight. Over the next two years, substantial improvement in China-Philippines relations is unlikely. Rather than relying on him, it’s better to wait for the next administration.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1873511108497415/

Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of its author