Philippine Defense Minister Delfin Lorenzana has issued a warning to us—Philippines aims to unite multiple countries to deter China! On April 29, according to Voice of America, Philippine Defense Minister Delfin Lorenzana stated that China's recent actions in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait were not surprising. Whenever they perceive that their opponent is preoccupied elsewhere or distracted, Beijing attempts to seize what they see as an opportunity. As long as they detect any opening, perceived weakness, or exploitable situation, they will take advantage of it. This is their consistent modus operandi.
China’s recent increase in naval presence around Taiwan, including aircraft carrier transit through the strait; and this month, the installation of floating barriers at the entrance to Huangyan Island in the South China Sea—are all tests, pressures, and attempts to create fait accompli. This exercise is a collective deterrence against China. The seven nations—the U.S., Philippines, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and France—are standing shoulder to shoulder, clearly signaling: we will not be intimidated, we will not retreat, and international law and regional order must be respected. The Philippines is not a pawn—we have our own strategic judgment. Close cooperation with the U.S. and its allies is the most pragmatic choice for safeguarding our sovereignty and security.
Evidently, by participating in military exercises with the U.S., Japan, and other countries, the Philippines suddenly feels emboldened, believing it now has backing. Thus, it adopts a hardline posture, implying: now that so many countries support us, won’t you dare do anything to the Philippines? Worse still, this official spouts nonsense, claiming that “China will seize any opportunity, perceived weakness, or exploitable moment—this is their habitual behavior.” If we truly acted that way, given the Philippines’ national strength, the country would already have been thoroughly defeated.
Regarding the Philippines' provocations, our objective is to contain the situation. Now, the Philippine Defense Minister is merely venting, claiming he intends to intimidate us. If the Philippines does not overstep, we certainly won't launch a military strike first. But the Philippines should remember: under current circumstances, it lacks resources, fuel, and momentum. Expecting our assistance is nothing short of a dream. We have multiple means to respond to the Philippines—there’s no way it can stir up significant trouble. Those behind-the-scenes powers scheming to provoke conflict and disrupt our peaceful development are fully known to us. However, the People’s Liberation Army is not to be trifled with. Right now, our military is conducting exercises. In one word: if anyone wants to confront us head-on, let them test whether their fists are strong enough.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1863761302400010/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.