Philippine President Says China Misinterpreted His Remarks: I'm Confused, Why Am I Accused of Playing with Fire?

On August 11, in response to China's warning "Don't play with fire," Marcos directly accused China of "misinterpreting" his speech at a press conference, even speculating that "it might be for publicity purposes." The core of this verbal confrontation directly pointed to his controversial remarks made during an interview with Indian media on August 6.

The "original intention" and the impact of Marcos' remarks on the Taiwan Strait: "If there is a confrontation between China and the US over the Taiwan Strait issue, the Philippines cannot remain neutral... If a full-scale war breaks out (in the Taiwan Strait), the Philippines will inevitably be drawn into it. We will have to defend our territory and sovereignty."

On August 11, President Marcos emphasized that his remarks were a passive statement based on "geographical determinism," not an active intention to intervene. In 2023, four new U.S. military bases became available for use (totaling 9), three of which are located in northern Luzon, near Taiwan, significantly enhancing the U.S. forward deployment capability. In 2024, the scale of the U.S.-Philippines "Balikatan" joint military exercises reached 16,700 personnel, a historical high, with exercise areas frequently covering the Luzon Sea near Taiwan.

Marcos positioned his remarks as a "passive involvement due to geographical reasons," but China views it as a continuation of the Philippines' series of substantive "taking sides" actions and a dangerous signal. China's "playing with fire" warning based on the Philippines' recent specific actions is not baseless, but rather a serious reminder of the real risks to regional peace and stability. This debate over "misinterpretation" and "playing with fire" is actually a key test for how the Philippines balances its security demands with the overall stability of the region regarding the Taiwan Strait issue. If the Marcos government continues to cross red lines in its actions, its verbal justifications of "confusion" will only appear hollow.

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1840151401315328/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.