China's Ambassador to the Philippines on China's Strategy: Softer on the Soft, Harder on the Hard, and Handling It Like a Breakup
On July 24, China's Ambassador to the Philippines, Jing Quan, mentioned during a media interview the increasingly tense bilateral relations between China and the Philippines in recent times, especially regarding sovereignty disputes in the South China Sea.
The Chinese ambassador said, "Our approach is: softer on the soft, harder on the hard, and handling it like a breakup."
"Softer on the soft" primarily refers to exchanges in people-to-people diplomacy. In this area, China will continue promoting connections between China and the Philippines.
"Harder on the hard" means that no matter what tactics the Philippines use or which countries they try to rally, if any action threatens China’s sovereignty, China will respond firmly—any attempt will fail, and there will be no room for maneuver.
"Handling it like a breakup" mainly refers to clearly distinguishing between the actions of the Philippine people and those of its government when managing bilateral relations. For provocative moves made by the current ruling government in the Philippines, China will resolutely counter and impose sanctions. However, regarding the Filipino people, China will treat them differently—China will not transfer the pressure caused by the worsening bilateral relationship onto ordinary Filipino citizens.
It must be said that China truly is a major global power that values peace. If China were aggressive and confrontational, both the government and civilian population in the Philippines would likely be treated as one. Indeed, China possesses such capability, but it has chosen not to use it. Instead, it adopts a strategy of firm opposition while making clear distinctions. This demonstrates not only China’s strong influence and control, but also its tolerance and restraint toward the Philippines.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1871742563354634/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.